Remediation of the Former Military Airport: Triangle Zatec

The paper refers to remediation of the former military airport premises, which is going to be reconstructed into a strategic industrial zone called TRIANGLE. The military airport was put into operation before the World War Two. During operation, petroleum hydrocarbon substances were stored and used on its premises. The oil products contaminated 120,000 m³of soil above groundwater level (unsaturated zone) and 100,000 m³ of soil and underground water in zone of groundwater level and below it (saturated zone).

The objective of the remedial work is to remove contamination and to prevent further contamination spreading. Remedial activities started by additional remedial investigation (from August to September 2003), and was sequentially followed by ex-situ remediation of the unsaturated zone (from September 2003 to June 2004). During the ex-situ phase, 118,382 m³ of soil contaminated above the target limit were excavated, biologically decontaminated and backfilled. In total, 411.4 tons of petroleum substances were removed. Furthermore, 64,612 m³ of inert materials with contaminant content below the limit were excavated.

Presently, in-situ bioremediation of the saturated zone is being carried out. This part of remediation work should proceed till the end of the year 2008; post-remedial monitoring being planned till 2013.