A METHOD OF ACCELERATED BIODEGRADATION OF TOXIC, ORGANIC CHEMICALS

A method for treating soil in situ or ex situ to reduce the concentration of contaminating or polluting organic chemical compounds in the soil, characterized by the following steps: a) Determination of a contaminated/polluted area where the soil is to be treated; b) Addition of fertilizer in the form of warm-composted manure, or other similar compost having a nutrient content corresponding to warm composted manure and in which the nutrients are correspondingly hard bound to the compost, to a layer of soil in the area to be treated, the fertilizer being added in an amount of 10% (weight percentage) or more of the soil in the layer to be treated, if necessary repeated yearly; c) Addition of iron, preferably in a quantity of 1-4 kg Fe, Fe²⁺, or Fe³⁺ per ton of applied compost, more preferably in an amount of 1.5-2.5 kg Fe²⁺ per ton of compost, most preferably 1.5-2.2 kg Fe²⁺, unless the soil to be treated already comprises at least 2 kg of iron per ton of soil; d) Adjustment of soil pH to acidic pH (pH<7), preferably to pH 3-6, more preferably 4,5-6,0, or 2-4; e) The soil is kept moist by adding water as needed for a predetermined period, preferably 12 months.