Currently there are many areas of land in the world that have soils contaminated by hazardous materials such as organic compounds and inorganic metal compounds. Examples of organic contaminants are various hydrocarbon ring compounds such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and zylene compounds (commonly known as BTEX) polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (known as PAH); and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Examples of inorganic metal compounds are arsenic, lead, cadmium, and zinc, and their various oxides. It has been recognized that it is highly desirable that these hazardous materials do not end up in the atmosphere we breathe or the water we drink, therefore the goal of environmental remediation activities has been to destroy or remove the organic contaminants, and to stabilize or prevent the migration of the inorganic metals and their compounds into the groundwater.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds