Brown Environmental utilizes our dedicated laboratory to evaluate biological, chemical, and physical treatment methods for soils, sludges and liquids. These evaluations generate the site-specific data necessary to design effective, full-scale treatment systems, optimize treatment regimens and predict remedial end points. Brown Environmental focusses on evaluating both our proprietary products and the commercially available amendment products to characterize their ability to treat hazardous materials. Brown Environmental evaluates up to 80 amendment products per year and maintains a database of product quality and effictiveness.

Bioremediation
Brown Environmental has developed a three tier process for evaluating a biological treatment amendment on site-specific soil or groundwater. Tier I is a high throughput screening method that uses an indicator solution to identify microbial activity. Our Tier II test involves the usage of an electrolytic respirometer that provides oxygen on demand to a sealed cell while scrubbing the microbially generated carbon dioxide from the cell. This test is used to determine the kinetics of the contaminant degradation, the nutritional and oxygen requirements for the consortium, and the optimum treatment stoichiometry of the injectate. The Tier III test identifies the specific organisms which dominate the cell following the 30 day Tier II test to ascertain which organisms have adapted to, and are utilizing the contaminant. The Tier III information is used to monitor species populations in-situ following application and to assist in collecting literature on microbial optimum growth conditions. Brown has successfully treated matrices contaminated with gasoline (including MTBE and TBA), fuel oils, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents and pesticides/dioxins through biological means.

Chemical Oxidation
The objectives of a treatability study for a chemical oxidant may vary depending upon which amendment is chosen, but generally includes: the natural oxidant demand, the reaction stoichiometry and kinetics, the metals mobilization potential, the application concentration, and the anticipated fate and transport of the amendment.