Evaluation of a Sustainable and Passive Approach to Treat Large, Dilute Chlorinated VOC Groundwater Plumes
Abstract
The overall objective of this project was to demonstrate effective in situ biological treatment of large, dilute cVOC plumes using an approach that is both sustainable and cost effective. The critical objectives of this demonstration were to determine whether an off-the-grid biosparging system could sustainably and economically deliver gaseous amendments in a biobarrier configuration across a large, dilute plume, stimulating indigenous bacteria to biodegrade target cVOCs, and whether consistent in situ treatment of these cVOCs to target levels (i.e., MCLs) was feasible. During this project, an oxygen and alkane gas (propane) with gaseous nutrient (ammonia) cometabolic biosparging system in a barrier configuration was successfully utilized to degrade cVOCs (e.g., cis-DCE and VC) in a large, dilute groundwater plume. This cometabolic bioremediation effort demonstrated that low, yet still above MCLs, cVOC concentrations in large plumes can be sustainably and cost effectively treated for cases when attenuation processes themselves are insufficient to protect receptors. Application of the improved methods for the contaminant treatment demonstrated during this project may result in significant cost savings for the DoD when reduction of cVOCs in a large, dilute groundwater plume is a significant driver of remediation costs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 11, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1222310
Entities
People
- David Lippincott
- Graig Lavorgna
- Jim Begley
- Paul B. Hatzinger