Technology transfer of an innovative remediation technology from the laboratory to the field: a case study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> aerobic cometabolic bioremediation

Scaling-up an environmental remediation technology from the laboratory to the field to commercial use may be problematic at various levels. There could be a number of scientific and engineering problems that must be overcome when transitioning a technology from the laboratory to the field. Mass transfer limitations, large-scale spatial heterogeneities, and fluctuating environmental conditions, all of which may not play a role in the laboratory, must be addressed in the field. Added to these considerations are regulatory and legal issues. Questions regarding liability and permitting must be satisfactorily dealt with in order to demonstrate and evaluate a new remediation technology in the field. Finally, to commercialize an innovative technology that has been successfully demonstrated, cost and performance data must be presented in a manner that convinces stake-holders (site owners, regulators, consultants/contractors, and the public) that the technology can accomplish remediation more economically, safely, and efficiently than conventional technologies.