This guide contains five sections:

1. Introduction
2. Contaminant Perspectives
3. Treatment Perspectives
4. Treatment Technology Profiles
5. References

Section 1, the Introduction, presents objectives, background information, and guidance on how to use this document, and limitations on its use.

Sections 2 through 5 are intended to aid a RPM in performing the RI/FS or equivalent process (see Figure 1-2: The Role of This Document in the RI/FS Process (or Equivalent)).

Section 2, Contaminant Perspectives, addresses contaminant properties, their behavior and preliminarily identification of potential treatment technologies based on their applicability to specific contaminants and media. This section describes eight contaminant groups, as determined by the Federal Remediation Technologies Roundtable (FRTR):

• Nonhalogenated Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
• Halogenated Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
• Nonhalogenated Semivolatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs).
• Halogenated Semivolatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs).
• Fuels.
• Inorganics.
• Radionuclides.
• Explosives.

Remedial technologies capable of treating a contaminant group are presented in a technology screening matrix for each of the eight contaminant groups. The most commonly used technologies are discussed in the text for that contaminant in soil, sediment, and sludge, and in ground water, surface water, and leachate. (The discussion of VOCs also addresses air emissions and off-gases.) If presumptive treatments are available for the contaminants, they are identified in this section. Section 2 will also aid in scoping the RI/FS by identifying data needs in order to characterize contamination in media and by identifying potential contaminants based on historical usage of the site.

Section 3, Treatment Perspectives, provides an overview of each treatment process group and how it will impact technology implementation [e.g., ex situ soil treatment (as compared to in situ soil treatment) leads to additional cost, handling, permitting, and safety concerns as a result of excavation]. The treatment process groups discussed include the following 14 treatment areas:

• In situ biological treatment for soil, sediment, bedrock, and sludge.
• In situ physical/chemical treatment for soil, sediment, bedrock, and sludge.
• In situ thermal treatment for soil, sediment, bedrock, and sludge.
• Ex situ biological treatment for soil, sediment, bedrock, and sludge.
• Ex situ physical/chemical treatment for soil, sediment, bedrock, and sludge.
• Ex situ thermal treatment for soil, sediment,bedrock, and sludge.
• Containment for soil, sediment, bedrock, and sludge.
• Other treatments for soil, sediment, bedrock, and sludge.
• In situ biological treatment for ground water, surface water, and leachate.
• In situ physical/chemical treatment for ground water, surface water, and leachate.
• Ex situ biological treatment for ground water, surface water, and leachate.
• Ex situ physical/chemical treatment for ground water, surface water, and leachate.
• Containment for ground water, surface water, and leachate.
• Air emissions/off-gas treatment.

Section 3 will aid the RPM in screening potential treatment technologies based on site requirements and in combining potential treatment technologies into remedial action alternatives for the overall site. A comprehensive screening matrix listing each of the treatment technologies contained in this document is presented in this section. Information on completed projects in these treatment process areas has been presented in tables extracted from the Innovative Treatment Technologies: Annual Status Report (EPA, 1995 and 2001), and the Synopses of Federal Demonstrations of Innovative Site Remediation Technologies (FRTR, 1993 and 2000).

Section 4, Treatment Technology Profiles, enables the RPM to perform a more detailed analysis of the remedial action alternatives. The treatment technology descriptions include the following information:

• Description.
• Synonyms.
• Applicability.
• Limitations.
• Data needs.
• Performance data.
• Cost.
• References (typically, published public sector reports were extracted from the source documents. References are hyper linked to their specific web sites if HTML version of the documents are available).
• Site information (typically, representative sites with the most complete information were chosen).
• Points of contact (A hyper link to all government agencies' home page is created. Technology specific web sites from government agencies and non-government agencies are also linked if they are available).
• Vendor Information.
• Health and Safety.

Information contained in these profiles was extracted from the source documents, followed by an extensive review by the FRTR member agencies. The cost data are provided solely as a general indicator of the treatment cost and should be verified with specific technology vendors, independent cost estimates, and past experience. Specific technology vendors may be identified by accessing the EPA Remediation and Characterization Innovative Technologies (EPA REACH IT) database. 

Section 5, References, presents a list of documents that contain additional information on treatment technologies. Information on where to obtain federal documents is provided in Subsection 5.1. Subsection 5.2 presents a comprehensive list of references used in this document as well as source documents on innovative treatment technologies sorted by author name. Subsection 5.3 presents a listing of federal agencies, universities, and companies with related technical information available on their Web sites. These Web addresses are sorted by host name along with the technology name.

The six appendices to this document contain the following information:

Appendix A, EPA Remediation and Characterization Innovative Technologies (EPA REACH IT) database. This appendix provides a brief description of the EPA REACH IT data base and a current printout of the vendors of technologies included in this guide, including the company name and telephone number.

Appendix B, DOE Site Remediation Technologies by Waste Contaminant Matrix and Completed Site Demonstration Program Projects as of October 1993. Table B-1 provides a complete listing of the treatment technologies provided in the DOE Technology Catalogue organized by the contaminant applicability. Table B-2 provides a listing of completed SITE Demonstration Programs reproduced from Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program, Technology Profiles, Sixth Edition.

Appendix C, Federal Data Bases and Additional Information Sources. This appendix provides a listing of sources of follow-up information, including data bases, document printing offices, and information centers.

Appendix D, Parameters Affecting Treatment Cost or Performance. This appendix documents the results of an FRTR meeting on 9 December 1998 to review related activities, identify information needs, and develop an updated strategy for documentation of cost and performance information.

Appendix E, Description of Source Documents. This appendix provides a description of each of the government documents that were the origin of this compendium document. Many other sources not listed here were also used to a lesser extent. These additional sources are presented in Section 5, References.

Appendix F, Synonym List. Technology names and possible synonyms are listed by alphabetical order. They are linked to their corresponding technology profiles for convenient access.