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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant

Conference ·
OSTI ID:229550

Many DOE facilities are situated in areas of sand and gravel which have become polluted with dense, non-aqueous phase liquids or DNAPLs, such as chlorinated solvents, from the various industrial operations at these facilities. The presence of such DNAPLs in sand and gravel aquifers is now recognized as the principal factor in the failure of standard ground-water remediation methods. The principal objective of this study, as stated in the Statement of Work of the contract (DE-AC21-92MC29111), is to demonstrate that multi-component DNAPLs can be readily solubilized in sand and gravel aquifers by dilute surfactant solutions. The specific objectives of the contract are: to identify dilute surfactants or blends of surfactants in the laboratory that will efficiently extract multi-component DNAPLs from sand and gravel aquifers by micellar solubilization (Phase 1); 2. to test the efficacy of the identified surfactants or blends of surfactants to solubilize in situ perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) DNAPLs by the injection and the subsequent extraction through an existing well or wells at a government-owned contaminated site (Phase 1); and 3. to demonstrate the full-scale operation of this remedial technology at a government-owned contaminated site (Phase 2). Specific objective number 1 has been completed and reported to DOE. However, the results of the test referred to in specific objective number 2, conducted at Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in 1994, were inconclusive. Following this first test, it was decided by DOE and INTERA to move the test site elsewhere due to difficulties with obtaining core samples of the sand and gravel aquifer containing the DNAPL and with ascertaining the location of the DNAPL relative to the injection well. The solubilization test at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) will constitute the second test of Phase 1 of this contract.

Research Organization:
USDOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center, WV (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC21-92MC29111
OSTI ID:
229550
Report Number(s):
DOE/METC--96/1021-Vol.2; CONF-9510108--Vol.2; ON: DE96000552
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English