Pollutant subsoil decontamination by bioventing and optimization problems

In bioventing, air is forced into the subsoil to exploit the biodegradation activity of bacteria. The problem of optimization consists of choosing the best positions and volumetric flow rates of injection or extraction wells within the polluted soil. A mathematical model for the unsaturated zone which also describes the bacteria population dynamics and the pollutant removal will be presented. It is possible to identify several kinds of optimization criteria and the related numerical issues will be examined. Numerical tests of the model and of the optimization procedures will be shown.