Emplacement of zero-valent metal for remediation of deep contaminant plumes

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:576674

Hubble, D W; Gillham, R W; Cherry, J A ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Waterloo, Ontario (Canada)

Some groundwater plumes containing chlorinated solvent contaminants are found to be so deep that current in situ remediation technologies cannot be economically applied. Also, source zones are often found to be too deep for removal or inaccessible due to surface features. Plumes emanating from these sources require containment or treatment. Containment technologies are available for shallow sites (< 15 m) and are being developed for greater depths. However, it is important to advance the science of reactive treatment - both for cut off of plumes and to contain and treat source zones. Zero-valent metal technology has been used for remediation of solvent plumes at sites in Canada, the UK and at several industrial and military sites in the USA. To date, all of the plumes treated with zero-valent metal (granular iron) have been at depths less than 15 m. This paper gives preliminary results of research into methods to emplace granular iron at depths in the range of 15 to 60 m. The study included review of available and emerging methods of installing barrier or reactive material and the selection, preliminary design and costing of several methods. The design of a treatment system for a 122 m wide PCE plume that, immediately down gradient from its source, extends from a depth of 24 to 37 m below the ground surface is used as a demonstration site. Both Permeable Reactive Wall and Funnel-and-Gate{trademark} systems were considered. The emplacement methods selected for preliminary design and costing were slurry wall, driven/vibrated beam, deep soil mixing and hydrofracturing injection. For each of these methods, the iron must be slurried for ease of pumping and placement using biodegradable polymer viscosifiers that leave the iron reactive.

• Research Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 576674
• Report Number(s): CONF-970208--Proc.; ON: DE98001967
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CONTAINMENT
COST ESTIMATION
GROUND WATER
IRON
PLUMES
REMEDIAL ACTION