Advances in (Bio)Remediation for Petroleum Hydrocarbon Impacted Sites

Gary M. Birk, P.E. (NC, VA, & FL)

Managing Partner at Tersus Environmental

Gary is a founder and Managing Partner of Tersus Environmental, LLC based in North Carolina.  He has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from North Carolina State University and holds registrations as a Professional Engineer in North Carolina, Virginia, and Florida. Gary has 39 years’ experience in the development and implementation of technologies for in-situ remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater. Well-known for his contributions to soil and groundwater remediation, he has worked on projects in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Gary commercialized EDS-ER™ the first and most widely used water-mixable vegetable oil based organic substrate to provide a lasting source of carbon and hydrogen for enhanced reductive dechlorination and other bioremediation processes. He also is an author of several Patents for Bioremediation of Soil and Groundwater.

David F. Alden, P.E. (NC)

Manger, Technical Services at Tersus Environmental

David serves as the Manager of Technical Services at Tersus Environmental, where he is a dedicated professional with extensive experience in environmental engineering and technical services. In this pivotal role, David is instrumental in fostering innovation and excellence within the realm of environmental solutions. He provides crucial technical support for Tersus' biotechnology-based solutions, specializing in the management of complex environmental liabilities and cost reduction for site closure.

David's academic journey includes earning a degree in Civil Engineering from Universidad de las Americas-Puebla, Mexico, and a master's degree from Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble, France. With this diverse educational background, he brings a unique perspective to his position.

A key aspect of David's work revolves around the development of innovative technologies for restoring groundwater and soil in challenging sites. He has authored three patents on reductive bioremediation and in situ chemical reduction, with US Patent 11,123,779 B2 titled "Method and a Chemical Composition for Accelerated In Situ Biochemical Remediation" being a notable contribution. Additionally, he has eight pending patent applications for groundwater contaminant remediation.

Managing the companies Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis (CSIA) projects, David showcases his commitment to staying at the forefront of industry advancements by applying cutting-edge techniques to assess environmental contaminants. David leverages his expertise in CSIA to provide a quantitative means for differentiating reaction pathways—shedding light on the intricate processes of abiotic and biotic degradation. This not only enhances our understanding of environmental challenges but also paves the way for more targeted and effective solutions.

David also employs molecular biologic tools to assess remediation performance. By integrating cutting-edge techniques, he ensures that our environmental solutions are not only efficient but also sustainable in the long run.

Sandra Dworatzek, M.Sc.

Principal Scientist, SiREM

Sandra is a Principal Scientist with more than 25 years of experience in bioremediation of chlorinated solvents, petroleum hydrocarbons, emerging contaminants and other recalcitrant compounds. She has specific technical experience in the design of laboratory treatability studies, the scale up of growth of aerobic and anaerobic microbial cultures for bioaugmentation laboratory and field pilot tests, and evaluation of aerobic and anaerobic bioremediation, zero valent iron and chemical oxidation technologies in the laboratory. She currently provides senior technical oversight of laboratory treatability studies and the development and scaleup of new bioaugmentation cultures, including novel cultures for BTEX compounds under anaerobic conditions and aerobic 1,4-dioxane bioremediation. Sandra currently is the industry lead on a Genome Canada funded project for the commercialization of anaerobic BTEX degrading cultures.

Ximena Druar

Project Scientist and Genetic Testing Manager, SiREM

Ximena joined SiREM in 2002 as one of SiREM’s first employees and now serves as the Genetic Testing Manager where she oversees and coordinates the day-to-day work for Gene-Trac® testing. Her work includes managing deployment of over 60 tests and next-generation sequencing, as well as supervising laboratory technicians and assistants. In addition, Ximena is a client liaison and approves and issues reports, proposals, and invoices