Cost effectiveness and decision tree analysis of remedial technologies for petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated soils and groundwater

Contaminated sites with petroleum hydrocarbons are being recognized as a serious environmental problem. The objective of this study is to develop a methodology, using a task force approach, to screen the various strategies for remedial actions and select the most cost effective alternative for a given site.; Results of the survey indicate that the remedial alternatives that scored the highest, using trade-off analysis, were generally those that dealt with the destruction or degradation of petroleum contaminants. Vapor extraction and biodegradation are considered the most widely used remedial alternatives for the remediation of volatile and non-volatile organic compounds, respectively. The relative costs per cubic yard range from {dollar}19 to {dollar}660 for vapor extraction and from {dollar}23 to {dollar}314 for in-situ biodegradation.; A decision tree flow chart was developed to identify the various subtasks that are involved in the evaluation and remediation of petroleum contaminated sites.