Remediation research targeted for the cleanup of groundwater, sediments, soil and other environmental media has been a very strong and successful component of SRP. SRP-funded researchers have developed innovative biological, chemical, and physical methods that effectively remove and/or reduce the amount of hazardous wastes.

Many of these remediation projects are very pragmatic, frequently with direct applications to Superfund sites. These innovative technologies provide practical benefits such as lower cleanup costs at hazardous waste sites, improvements in human and ecological health and reduced risk. Examples include:

• Lab Breakthroughs Yield Solutions for Cleaner Mining and Healthier Communities: With support from the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), researchers at the University of Arizona and the small business GlycoSurf are pioneering strategies to balance the mining of important resources with sustainable and health-protective approaches. Their biosurfactant technologies — based on compounds produced by microorganisms — offer a safe and cost-effective solution to simultaneously clean up mining waste and recover valuable rare earth elements.
• Low-Cost Technology Cleans Up Contaminated Sites: An innovative technology, developed with funding from the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), successfully delivers amendments that immobilize and degrade polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in aquatic environments. The technology has proven effective in the field and resulted in millions of dollars in estimated cost savings at cleanup sites.
• Pioneering Interdisciplinary Approaches to Phytoremediation: Researchers at the NIEHS-funded University of Washington Superfund Research Program Center (UW SRP Center) developed innovative approaches to enhance phytoremediation of chlorinated solvents using poplar trees. Phytoremediation is a process that uses plants to remove, break down, contain, or immobilize contaminants from soil or water.
• Sustainable Technology Cleans Up PFAS in Water: An innovative technology, developed with funding from the NIEHS Superfund Research Program, successfully removes PFAS from water. The technology has been adapted to a variety of applications, including tabletop filters, whole-house filtration systems, and large-scale cleanup projects.