Microbial technology proves useful for dioxin detoxification
The trial dioxin detoxification using microbial technology at A Sho airfield of A Luoi district, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, has generated optimistic outcomes.
An area under dioxin detoxification at Da Nang airport (Illustrative photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The trial dioxin detoxification usingmicrobial technology at A Sho airfield of A Luoi district, the central provinceof Thua Thien-Hue, has generated optimistic outcomes.
The Ministry of Natural Resources andEnvironment held a workshop in Hanoi on August 4 to report on the outcomes ofthe test detoxification, which was carried out by the Republic of Korea (RoK)’sbiology company BJC and the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature andEnvironment.
By using the RoK’s microbial species, the landarea considered to be most contaminated with dioxin at A Sho airfield receivedanaerobic treatment for three months and then aerobic treatment.
The dioxin concentration in the contaminatedland declined from 161.65pg-TEQ per gram to 104.93pg-TEQ per gram, according toscientists from the BJC, the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology,and the Korea Institute of Toxicology.
Basing on the test’ results, participants at theworkshop highly valued the capacity and efforts of Korean experts. They askedauthorised agencies of Vietnam and the RoK to complete necessary procedures topublicise official research findings and facilitate social organisations’ internationalcooperation in environmental protection and socio-economic development.
The US army sprayed some 80 million litres oftoxic chemicals from 1961 to 1971, 61 percent of which was Agent Orangecontaining 366 kilograms of dioxin, over nearly one quarter of the total areaof South Vietnam.
Preliminary statistics showed that 4.8 millionVietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange/dioxin, and about 3 millionpeople became victims. Tens of thousands of people have died while millions ofothers have suffered from cancer and other incurable diseases as a result. Manyof their offspring have also suffered from birth deformities.-VNA
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An area under dioxin detoxification at Da Nang airport (Illustrative photo: VNA) 
