Observation of trapped gas during electrical resistance heating of trichloroethylene under passive venting conditions

A two-dimensional experiment employing a heterogeneous sand pack incorporating two pools of trichloroethylene (TCE) was performed to assess the efficacy of electrical resistance heating (ERH) under passive venting conditions. Temperature monitoring displayed the existence of a TCE-water co-boiling plateau at 73.4°C, followed by continued heating to 100°C. A 5cm thick gas accumulation formed beneath a fine-grained capillary barrier during and after co-boiling. The capillary barrier did not desaturate during the course of the experiment; the only pathway for gas escape being through perforated wells traversing the barrier. The thickness of the accumulation was dictated by the entry pressure of the perforated well. The theoretical maximum TCE soil concentration within the region of gas accumulation, following gas collapse, was estimated to be 888mg/kg. Post-heating soil sampling revealed TCE concentrations in this region ranging from 27mg/kg to 96.7mg/kg, indicating removal of aqueous and gas phase TCE following co-boiling as a result of subsequent boiling of water. The equilibrium concentrations of TCE in water corresponding to the range of post-treatment concentrations in soil (6.11mg/kg to 136mg/kg) are calculated to range from 19.8mg/l to 440mg/l. The results of this experiment illustrate the importance of providing gas phase venting during the application of ERH in heterogeneous porous media.     

表面活性剂强化抽出处理含水层中DNAPL污染物的去除特征

为明确表面活性剂强化抽出处理含水层中DNAPL污染物过程中表面活性剂的增强修复效果,及DNAPL自身理化性质和介质孔径的影响,利用数码图像分析技术对1,2-二氯乙烷和四氯乙烯2种DNAPL在石英砂填充的二维砂箱中的抽取迁移过程进行了实验模拟研究,并对抽出水样中DNAPL的浓度进行了测试分析。结果表明,实验条件下加入低浓度(0.18%)的十二烷基苯磺酸钠(SDBS)大幅提高了对弱透水层截留的2种DNAPL聚集体的抽出处理效率。1,2-二氯乙烷在该表面活性剂溶液中的表观溶解度远高于四氯乙烯,因此其短时间内的绝对去除率更高。SDBS强化抽出处理DNAPL的作用机理以增溶作用为主,而其增流作用使DNAPL迁移流动后分布面积增大,增加了与表面活性剂溶液接触的面积,对增溶作用起到促进效果。细粒介质中DNAPL迁移后的最大分布面积较大,因此体系中DNAPL的溶解速率较高。在DNAPL聚集体质量与水力梯度固定的条件下,油水界面张力越低,DNAPL的密度越大,DNAPL垂向迁移的风险就越大。本研究为修复工程中如何依据DNAPL种类与场地多孔介质的情况选择表面活性剂提供了参考。     

TCE recovery mechanisms using micellar and alcohol solutions: phase diagrams and sand column experiments

Forty-one phase diagrams and fifteen sand column experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficiency of three types of washing solutions to recover trichloroethylene (TCE) at residual saturation and to identify the recovery mechanisms involved. This study demonstrates that: (1) an alcohol and a surfactant combination is more efficient than an alcohol used alone in water; (2) the prediction of the dominant recovery mechanism from the tie line slopes in phase diagram is accurate and can be reproduced in sand column experiments; and (3) TCE recovery efficiency in sand column experiments is generally well represented by the position of the miscibility curve in phase diagrams in the low concentration range. However, the miscibility curve alone is not sufficient to exactly predict the TCE recovery mechanisms involved. Tie line slopes and the critical tie line have to be taken into consideration to select the active matter as well as its concentration and to predict the dominant recovery mechanism in sand column experiments. The sand column experiments quantified the recovery efficiency of each solution and identified the proportion of the recovery mechanisms (mobilisation vs. solubilisation). Washing solutions with an active matter concentration above the critical tie line caused dominating mobilisation. Mobilisation was also dominant when the active matter of the washing solution partitioned into the organic phase and the active matter concentration was below the critical tie line. Solubilisation and emulsification were dominant for washing solutions containing active matter, which principally partitioned into the aqueous phase and an active matter concentration below the critical tie line.     

Bench-scale visualization of DNAPL remediation processes in analog heterogeneous aquifers: surfactant floods and in situ oxidation using permanganate

We have conducted well-controlled DNAPL remediation experiments within a 2-D, glass-walled, sand-filled chamber using surfactants (Aerosol MA and Tween 80) to increase solubility and an oxidant (permanganate) to chemically degrade the DNAPL. Initial conditions for each remediation experiment were created by injecting DNAPL as a point source at the top of the chamber and allowing the DNAPL to migrate downward through a water-filled, heterogeneous, sand-pack designed to be evocative of a fluvial depositional environment. This migration process resulted in the DNAPL residing as a series of descending pools. Lateral advection across the chamber was used to introduce the remedial fluids. Photographs and digital image analysis illustrate interactions between the introduced fluids and the DNAPL. In the surfactant experiments, we found that DNAPL configured in a series of pools was easily mobilized. Extreme reductions in DNAPL/water interfacial tension occurred when using the Aerosol MA surfactant, resulting in mobilization into low permeability regions and thus confounding the remediation process. More modest reductions in interfacial tension occurred when using the Tween 80 surfactant resulting in modest mobilization. In this experiment, capillary forces remained sufficient to exclude DNAPL migration into low permeability regions allowing the excellent solubilizing properties of the surfactant to recover almost 90% of the DNAPL within 8.6 pore volumes. Injection of a potassium permanganate solution resulted in precipitation of MnO2, a reaction product, creating a low-permeability rind surrounding the DNAPL pools. Formation of this rind hindered contact between the permanganate and the DNAPL, limiting the effectiveness of the remediation. From these experiments, we see the value of performing visualization experiments to evaluate the performance of proposed techniques for DNAPL remediation.     

Displacement and sweep efficiencies in a DNAPL recovery test using micellar and polymer solutions injected in a five-spot pattern

Soil washing with micellar solutions is a promising alternative for the remediation of DNAPL source zones. As with any flushing technology, the success of soil washing with micellar solutions depends in a very large part on the ability of the solution to contact the contaminant (sweep efficiency) and then on the efficiency of contaminant removal once this contact is made (displacement efficiency). We report here on a field test where a micellar solution was used to recover a DNAPL in an open five-spot pattern in which polymer solutions were also injected before and after the washing solution to improve sweep efficiency. The washing solution formulation was optimised in the laboratory prior to the test to obtain good dissolution capacity. For a high-concentration and low-volume soil flushing remediation test such as the one performed (0.8 pore volumes of actual washing solution injected), slug sizing of the washing solution is critical. It was evaluated by an analytical solution. In a five-spot pattern, the displacement efficiency of the washing solution was observed to vary in the porous medium as a function of the radial distance from the injection well because: (1) the volume of the washing solution flowing through a section of the test cell changes (maximum close to the injection well and minimal at the pumping wells); (2) the in situ velocity changes (maximum at the wells and minimum between the wells) and; (3) the contact time of the washing solution with the NAPL changes as a function of the distance from the injection well. The relative importance of the recovery mechanisms, mobilisation and dissolution, was also observed to vary in the test cell. The reduced velocity increased the contact time of the washing solution with the DNAPL enhancing its dissolution, but the decrease of the capillary number caused less mobilisation. The washing process is much more extensive around the injection well. The use of an injection-pumping pattern allowing a complete sweep of the remediated area is essential. Following a comprehensive characterisation, modeling is an efficient tool to design the injection-pumping scheme and to optimise injection and pumping rates providing the best areal sweep. The vertical sweep can be controlled by using a polymer solution (Xanthan gum). The polymer solution also has a positive effect on front stability between the solutions injected. The injection rate of the polymer solution that follows the washing solution must be kept minimal initially to prevent dilution of the washing solution by fingering.     

Surfactant-enhanced oxidation of trichloroethylene by permanganate--proof of concept

Oxidative dechlorination of chlorinated solvents by permanganate is an emerging technology for remediation of groundwater contaminated with dissolved chlorinated contaminants. In this study, the enhancement of trichloroethylene (TCE) degradation by permanganate in aqueous solution in the presence of surfactant was evaluated through a continuous stir batch reactor system with the presence of permanganate as the limiting reagent and free phase TCE. The TCE degradation was determined by continuous monitoring the amount of chloride produced, which was then reverted to the rate of permanganate consumption. It was found that the chloride production, an indication of TCE degradation, followed a pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics with respect to KMnO(4) in the presence of free phase TCE. When no surfactants were present, the observed pseudo-first-order rate constant (k(obs)) was 0.08-0.19 min(-1) and the half-life (t(1/2)) was 4-9 min for MnO(4)(-). When the surfactant concentration was less than its critical micelle concentration (CMC), the k(obs) values increased to 0.42-0.46 min(-1) and the t(1/2) reduced to 1.5-1.7 min for MnO(4)(-). As the surfactant concentration was greater than the CMC, the k(obs) values increased to 0.56-0.58 min(-1) and the t(1/2) reduced to 1.2-1.3 min. The preliminary results showed that combination of permanganate with a proper type of surfactant can speed up contaminant removal.     

Surfactant enhanced recovery of tetrachloroethylene from a porous medium containing low permeability lenses. 2. Numerical simulation

A numerical model of surfactant enhanced solubilization was developed and applied to the simulation of nonaqueous phase liquid recovery in two-dimensional heterogeneous laboratory sand tank systems. Model parameters were derived from independent, small-scale, batch and column experiments. These parameters included viscosity, density, solubilization capacity, surfactant sorption, interfacial tension, permeability, capillary retention functions, and interphase mass transfer correlations. Model predictive capability was assessed for the evaluation of the micellar solubilization of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) in the two-dimensional systems. Predicted effluent concentrations and mass recovery agreed reasonably well with measured values. Accurate prediction of enhanced solubilization behavior in the sand tanks was found to require the incorporation of pore-scale, system-dependent, interphase mass transfer limitations, including an explicit representation of specific interfacial contact area. Predicted effluent concentrations and mass recovery were also found to depend strongly upon the initial NAPL entrapment configuration. Numerical results collectively indicate that enhanced solubilization processes in heterogeneous, laboratory sand tank systems can be successfully simulated using independently measured soil parameters and column-measured mass transfer coefficients, provided that permeability and NAPL distributions are accurately known. This implies that the accuracy of model predictions at the field scale will be constrained by our ability to quantify soil heterogeneity and NAPL distribution.     

Self-inhibition can limit biologically enhanced TCE dissolution from a TCE DNAPL

Biodegradation of trichloroethene (TCE) near a Dense Non Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) can enhance the dissolution rate of the DNAPL by increasing the concentration gradient at the DNAPL-water interface. Two-dimensional flow-through sand boxes containing a TCE DNAPL and inoculated with a TCE dechlorinating consortium were set up to measure this bio-enhanced dissolution under anaerobic conditions. The total mass of TCE and daughter products in the effluent of the biotic boxes was 3-6 fold larger than in the effluent of the abiotic box. However, the mass of daughter products only accounted for 19-55% of the total mass of chlorinated compounds in the effluent, suggesting that bio-enhanced dissolution factors were maximally 1.3-2.2. The enhanced dissolution most likely primarily resulted from variable DNAPL distribution rather than biodegradation. Specific dechlorination rates previously determined in a stirred liquid medium were used in a reactive transport model to identify the rate limiting factors. The model adequately simulated the overall TCE degradation when predicted resident microbial numbers approached observed values and indicated an enhancement factor for TCE dissolution of 1.01. The model shows that dechlorination of TCE in the 2D box was limited due to the short residence time and the self-inhibition of the TCE degradation. A parameter sensitivity analysis predicts that the bio-enhanced dissolution factor for this TCE source zone can only exceed a value of 2 if the TCE self-inhibition is drastically reduced (when a TCE tolerant dehalogenating community is present) or if the DNAPL is located in a low-permeable layer with a small Darcy velocity.     

Self-inhibition can limit biologically enhanced TCE dissolution from a TCE DNAPL

Biodegradation of trichloroethene (TCE) near a Dense Non Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) can enhance the dissolution rate of the DNAPL by increasing the concentration gradient at the DNAPL-water interface. Two-dimensional flow-through sand boxes containing a TCE DNAPL and inoculated with a TCE dechlorinating consortium were set up to measure this bio-enhanced dissolution under anaerobic conditions. The total mass of TCE and daughter products in the effluent of the biotic boxes was 3–6 fold larger than in the effluent of the abiotic box. However, the mass of daughter products only accounted for 19–55% of the total mass of chlorinated compounds in the effluent, suggesting that bio-enhanced dissolution factors were maximally 1.3–2.2. The enhanced dissolution most likely primarily resulted from variable DNAPL distribution rather than biodegradation. Specific dechlorination rates previously determined in a stirred liquid medium were used in a reactive transport model to identify the rate limiting factors. The model adequately simulated the overall TCE degradation when predicted resident microbial numbers approached observed values and indicated an enhancement factor for TCE dissolution of 1.01. The model shows that dechlorination of TCE in the 2D box was limited due to the short residence time and the self-inhibition of the TCE degradation. A parameter sensitivity analysis predicts that the bio-enhanced dissolution factor for this TCE source zone can only exceed a value of 2 if the TCE self-inhibition is drastically reduced (when a TCE tolerant dehalogenating community is present) or if the DNAPL is located in a low-permeable layer with a small Darcy velocity.     

Enhanced remedial amendment delivery through fluid viscosity modifications: experiments and numerical simulations

Low-permeability zones are typically bypassed when remedial fluids are injected into subsurface heterogeneous aquifer systems. Therefore, contaminants in the bypassed areas may not be contacted by the amendments in the remedial fluid, which may significantly prolong remediation operations. Laboratory experiments and numerical studies have been conducted to investigate the use of a shear-thinning polymer (Xanthan gum) to improve access to low-permeability zones in heterogeneous systems. The chemicals sodium mono-phosphate and the surfactant MA-80 were used as the remedial amendments. The impact of polymer concentration, fluid injection rate, and permeability contrast in the heterogeneous systems has been studied in a series of eleven two-dimensional flow cell experiments. The Subsurface Transport over Multiple Phases (STOMP) simulator was modified to include polymer-induced shear-thinning effects. The experimental and simulation results clearly show that using the polymer leads to an enhanced delivery of remedial amendments to lower-permeability zones and an increased sweeping efficiency. An added benefit of using the polymer is the stabilization of the displacing front when density differences exist between displaced and displacing fluids. The modified STOMP simulator was able to predict the experimental observed fluid displacing behavior well and might be used to predict subsurface remediation performance when a shear-thinning fluid is used to remediate a heterogeneous system at larger scales.     

Evaluation of trichloroethene recovery processes in heterogeneous aquifer cells flushed with biodegradable surfactants

The ability of two biodegradable surfactants, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (Tween 80) and sodium dihexyl sulfosuccinate (Aerosol MA), to recover a representative dense non-aqueous-phase liquid (DNAPL), trichloroethene (TCE), from heterogeneous porous media was evaluated through a combination of batch and aquifer cell experiments. An aqueous solution containing 3.3% Aerosol MA, 8% 2-propanol and 6 g/l CaCl(2) yielded a weight solubilization ratio (WSR) of 1.21 g TCE/g surfactant, with a corresponding liquid-liquid interfacial tension (IFT) of 0.19 dyn/cm. Flushing of aquifer cells containing a TCE-DNAPL source zone with approximately two pore volumes of the AMA formulation resulted in substantial (>30%) mobilization of TCE-DNAPL. However, a TCE mass recovery of 81% was achieved when the aqueous-phase flow rate was sufficient to displace the mobile TCE-DNAPL toward the effluent well. Aqueous solutions of Tween 80 exhibited a greater capacity to solubilize TCE (WSR=1.74 g TCE/g surfactant) and exerted markedly less reduction in IFT (10.4 dyn/cm). These data contradict an accepted empirical correlation used to estimate IFT values from solubilization capacity, and indicate a unique capacity of T80 to form concentrated TCE emulsions. Flushing of aquifer cells with less than 2.5 pore volumes of a 4% T80 solution achieved TCE mass recoveries ranging from 66 to 85%, with only slight TCE-DNAPL mobilization (<5%) occurring when the total trapping number exceeded 2 x 10(-5). These findings demonstrate the ability of Tween 80 and Aerosol MA solutions to efficiently recover TCE from a heterogeneous DNAPL source zone, and the utility of the total trapping number as a design parameter for a priori prediction of DNAPL mobilization and bank angle formation when flushing with low-IFT solutions. Given their potential to stimulate microbial reductive dechlorination at low concentrations, these surfactants are well-suited for remedial action plans that couple aggressive mass removal followed by enhanced bioremediation to treat chlorinated solvent source zones.     

Anionic surfactant remediation of soil columns contaminated by nonaqueous phase liquids

A variety of column experiments have been completed for the purpose of selecting and evaluating suitable surfactants for remediation of nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). The various NAPLs tested in the laboratory experiments were tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), jet fuel (JP4) and a dense nonaqueous phase liquid from a site at Hill Air Force Base, UT. Both Ottawa sand and Hill field soil were used in these experiments. Surfactant candidates were first screened using phase behavior experiments and only the best ones were selected for the subsequent column experiments. Surfactants which showed high contaminant solubilization, fast coalescence times, and the absence of liquid crystal phases and gels during the phase behavior experiments were tested in soil column experiments. The primary objective of the soil column experiments was to identify surfactants that recovered at least 99% of the contaminant. The secondary objective was to identify surfactants that show low adsorption and little or no loss of hydraulic conductivity during the column experiments. Results demonstrated that up to 99.9% of the contaminants were removed as a result of surfactant flooding of the soil columns. The addition of xanthan gum polymer to the surfactant solution was shown to increase remediation efficiency as a lower volume of surfactant was required for recovering a given volume of NAPL. Based on these experimental results, guidelines for designing highly efficient and robust surfactant floods have been developed and applied to a field demonstration.     

A three-layer diffusion-cell to examine bio-enhanced dissolution of chloroethene dense non-aqueous phase liquid

Microbial reductive dechlorination of trichloroethene (TCE) and perchloroethene (PCE) in the vicinity of their dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) has been shown to accelerate DNAPL dissolution. A three-layer diffusion-cell was developed to quantify this bio-enhanced dissolution and to measure the conditions near the DNAPL interface. The 12 cm long diffusion-cell setup consists of a 5.5 cm central porous layer (sand), a lower 3.5 cm DNAPL layer and a top 3 cm water layer. The water layer is frequently refreshed to remove chloroethenes at the upper boundary of the porous layer, while the DNAPL layer maintains the saturated chloroethene concentration at the lower boundary. Two abiotic and two biotic diffusion-cells with TCE DNAPL were tested. In the abiotic diffusion-cells, a linear steady state TCE concentration profile between the DNAPL and the water layer developed beyond 21 d. In the biotic diffusion-cells, TCE was completely converted into cis-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) at 2.5 cm distance of the DNAPL. Dechlorination was likely inhibited up to a distance of 1.5 cm from the DNAPL, as in this part the TCE concentration exceeded the culture’s maximum tolerable concentration (2.5 mM). The DNAPL dissolution fluxes were calculated from the TCE concentration gradient, measured at the interface of the DNAPL layer and the porous layer. Biotic fluxes were a factor 2.4 (standard deviation 0.2) larger than abiotic dissolution fluxes. This diffusion-cell setup can be used to study the factors affecting the bio-enhanced dissolution of DNAPL and to assess bioaugmentation, pH buffer addition and donor delivery strategies for source zones.     

Entrapment and dissolution of DNAPLs in heterogeneous porous media

Two-dimensional multiphase flow and transport simulators were refined and used to numerically investigate the entrapment and dissolution behavior of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) in heterogeneous porous media containing spatial variations in wettability. Measured hydraulic properties, residual saturations, and dissolution parameters were employed in these simulations. Entrapment was quantified using experimentally verified hydraulic property and residual saturation models that account for hysteresis and wettability variations. The nonequilibrium dissolution of PCE was modeled using independent estimates of the film mass transfer coefficient and interfacial area for entrapped and continuous (PCE pools or films) saturations. Flow simulations demonstrate that the spatial distribution of PCE is highly dependent on subsurface wettability characteristics that create differences in PCE retention mechanisms and the presence of subsurface capillary barriers. For a given soil texture, the maximum and minimum PCE infiltration depth was obtained when the sand had intermediate (an organic-wet mass fraction of 25%) and strong (water- or organic-wet) wettability conditions, respectively. In heterogeneous systems, subsurface wettability variations were also found to enhance or diminish the performance of soil texture-induced capillary barriers. The dissolution behavior of PCE was found to depend on the soil wettability and the spatial PCE distribution. Shorter dissolution times tended to occur when PCE was distributed over large regions due to an increased access of flowing water to the PCE. In heterogeneous systems, capillary barriers that produced high PCE saturations tended to exhibit longer dissolution times.     

Laboratory evidence of natural remobilization of multicomponent DNAPL pools due to dissolution

Mixtures of dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) trapped in the subsurface can act as long-term sources of contamination by dissolving into flowing groundwater. In general, the components of higher solubility are removed more quickly, thus altering the composition of the remaining DNAPL, and possibly leading to changes in its physical properties. Through the development of a simple compositional model, Roy et al. [J. Contam. Hydrol. 2002 (59) 163] showed that preferential dissolution of a mixed DNAPL could potentially result in changes in density and interfacial tension that could subsequently lead to remobilization of an initially static DNAPL pool. The laboratory experiments presented in this next paper provide a proof-of-concept for the previously presented theory, demonstrating and quantifying this process of remobilization. In addition, the experiments provide a data set for evaluation of the model presented by Roy et al. [J. Contam. Hydrol. 2002 (59) 163]. In the four experiments, a DNAPL pool comprised of tetrachloroethene and benzene was created as an open pool overlying glass beads within a water-saturated 2-D flow box. Experiments included rectangular and triangular pools. In each of the experiments, remobilization (as breakthrough) was observed more than 2 weeks after formation of the initial pool. During each experiment, the pool height declined as mass was lost by dissolution, while sampling indicated a decrease in the mole fraction of benzene, the more soluble component. Small protuberances formed along the bottom of the pool as its composition changed with time and the displacement pressure was achieved for various pore throats. Eventually one of the protuberances extended further, forming a finger (breakthrough). In general, the pool emptied as the finger proceeded further into the beads. It was also shown theoretically and experimentally that remobilization will occur sooner for pools with a triangular (pointing down), rather than rectangular, shape. The experimental results were simulated using the model developed by Roy et al. [J. Contam. Hydrol. 2002 (59) 163]. The model matched the observations well, suggesting that it accurately represents the primary mechanisms involved with natural remobilization under the conditions of the study.     

A micromodel analysis of factors influencing NAPL removal by surfactant foam flooding

A methodology to study the trichloroethylene (TCE) and dodecane removal in porous media by surfactant foams (SF) was presented by using etched-glass micromodels. The purpose of this work was to systematically evaluate the impact of various physicochemical factors such as gas fraction (GF), surfactant concentration, pore structure and nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) types on NAPL removal during SF flooding. The TCE displacement by SF was dependent on the gas fraction of SF. Low GFs (50% and 66%) were more efficient for TCE removal and sweep efficiencies than a high GF (85%). An increase in TCE removal was observed with increasing surfactant concentration at a fixed GF. TCE removal by SF flooding appeared to be dependent more to the value of Capillary number rather than to the concentration of surfactant solution. The effect of the pore heterogeneity was evaluated by employing two different types of micromodels. The Capillary number is an important parameter in the determination of sweep efficiency or gas saturation of SF in a nonhomogeneous porous medium. However, the TCE removal from a nonhomogeneous porous medium may not be associated with sweep efficiency. The initial configuration of residual TCE blobs in a nonhomogeneous porous medium would also be influential in displacing TCE. Sweep efficiencies and pressure responses of two NAPL systems (TCE and dodecane) were monitored to evaluate foam stability when the foam contacts the NAPLs. Stable foam contacting with TCE is implied, while it appears that dodecane cause the SF to collapse. All results indicate that the Capillary number (a ratio of viscous forces to capillary forces) is the most important parameter for TCE removal by SF flooding. Micromodel visualizations of water, surfactant and SF floods were showed and also discussed.     

Co-injection of air and steam for the prevention of the downward migration of DNAPLs during steam enhanced extraction: an experimental evaluation of optimum injection ratio predictions

When steam is injected into soil containing a dense volatile non-aqueous phase liquid contaminant, the DNAPL vaporized within the heated soil region condenses and accumulates ahead of the steam condensation front. If enough DNAPL accumulates, gravitational forces can overcome trapping forces allowing the liquid contaminant to flow downward. By injecting air with steam, a portion of the DNAPL vapor remains suspended in equilibrium with the air, decreasing liquid contaminant accumulation ahead of the steam condensation front, and thus reducing the possibility of downward migration. In a previous work, a theoretical model was developed to predict the optimum injection ratio of air to steam that would eliminate accumulation of DNAPL ahead of the temperature front and thus minimize the potential for downward migration. In this work, the theoretical model is summarized, and an experiment is presented in order to evaluate the optimum injection ratio prediction. In the experiment, a two-dimensional water saturated sand pack is contaminated with a known mass of TCE (DNAPL). The system is then remediated by co-injecting air and steam at the predicted optimum injection ratio, calculated based on the average contaminant soil concentration in the sand pack. Results for the co-injection of air and steam are compared to results for the injection of pure steam or pure air. Injection at the predicted optimum injection ratio for a volumetric average NAPL saturation, reduced accumulation of the contaminant ahead of the condensation front by over 90%, as compared to steam injection alone. This indicates that the optimum injection ratio prediction is a valuable tool for limiting the spreading of DNAPL during steam-enhanced extraction. Injection at the optimum injection ratio resulted in earlier recovery of contaminant than for steam injection alone. Co-injection of steam and air is also shown to result in much higher recovery rates than air injection alone.     

In-situ oxidation of trichloroethene by permanganate: effects on porous medium hydraulic properties

In-situ oxidation of dense nonaqueous-phase liquids (DNAPLs) by strong oxidants such as potassium permanganate (KMnO4) has been proposed as a possible DNAPL remediation strategy. In this study, we investigated the effects of in-situ trichloroethene (TCE) oxidation by KMnO4 on porous medium hydraulic properties. In particular, we wanted to determine the overall effects of concurrent solid phase (MnO2) precipitation, gas (CO2) evolution and TCE dissolution resulting from the oxidation reaction on the porous medium's aqueous-phase relative permeability, krw. Three TCE removal experiments were conducted in a 95-cm long, 5.1-cm i.d. glass column, which was homogeneously packed with well-characterized 30/40-mesh silica sand. TCE was emplaced in the sand-pack in residual, entrapped form through a sequence of water/TCE imbibition and drainage steps. The column was then flushed under constant aqueous flux conditions for up to 104 h with either deionized water (reference experiment), deionized water containing 5 mM KMnO4 or deionized water containing 5 mM KMnO4 and 300 mM Na2HPO4. Aqueous-phase relative permeabilities were computed from measured flow rates and measurements of aqueous-phase pressure head, h obtained using pressure transducers connected to tensiometers distributed along the column length. A dual-energy gamma radiation system was used to monitor changes in fluid saturation that occurred during each experiment. In addition, column effluent samples were collected for chemical analyses. Dissolution of TCE during deionized water flushing led to an increase in krw by approximately 22% and a local reduction in h. On the other hand, vigorous CO2 gas production and precipitation of MnO2 was visually observed during flushing with deionized water that contained 5 mM KMnO4. As a consequence, krw declined by approximately 96% and h increased locally by more than 1000 cm H2O during the first 24 h of the experiment, causing sand-pack ruptures and pump failure. Conversely, less CO2 gas production and MnO2 precipitation was visually observed during flushing with deionized water that contained 5 mM KMnO4 and 300 mM Na2HPO4. Consequently, only small increases in h (< 15 cm H2O) were observed in this experiment due to a reduction in krw of approximately 53%. While we must attribute changes in h due to variations in krw to our specific experimental design (constant aqueous flux, one-dimensional flow experiments), these experiments nevertheless confirm that successful application of in situ chemical oxidation of TCE requires consideration of detrimental processes such as MnO2 precipitation and CO2 gas formation. In addition, our results indicate that utilization of a buffered oxidant solution may improve the effectiveness of in-situ oxidation of TCE by KMnO4 in otherwise weakly buffered porous media.     

The rate improvement and modeling of trichloroethene photodegradation by acetone sensitizer in surfactant solution

The photodecay of trichloroethene (TCE) in surfactant solution by the help of photosensitizer (acetone, ACE) was investigated and modeled. Apart from the direct photodegradation, photosensitization is presumed to be one of the major mechanisms contributing to overall decay. Quantum yields of TCE photodecay in solution with surfactant Brij 35 and optimal ACE dosage are about 25 times higher than in Brij 35 alone. However, with an excess ACE dosage, ACE will act as a light barrier and attenuate the light intensity available for TCE photodegradation. TCE photodegradation follows a two-stage kinetics, in which a lag phase is followed by a fast decay. Mathematical models were developed for the prediction of the two-stage photodegradation, in which the remaining fraction of TCE (C/C0) in the system becomes predictable.     

A controlled field experiment on groundwater contamination by a multicomponent DNAPL: creation of the emplaced-source and overview of dissolved plume development

A unique field experiment has been undertaken at the CFB Borden research site to investigate the development of dissolved chlorinated solvent plumes from a residual dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source. The "emplaced-source" tracer test methodology involved a controlled emplacement of a block-shaped source of sand containing chlorinated solvents below the water table. The gradual dissolution of this residual DNAPL solvent source under natural aquifer conditions caused dissolved solvent plumes of trichloromethane (TCM), trichloroethene (TCE) and perchloroethene (PCE) to continuously develop down gradient. Source dissolution and 3-D plume development were successfully monitored via 173 multilevel samplers over a 475-day tracer test period prior to site remediation research being initiated. Detailed groundwater level and hydraulic conductivity data were collected. Development of plumes with concentrations spanning 1-700,000 micrograms/1 is described and key processes controlling their migration identified. Plumes were observed to be narrow due to the weakness of transverse dispersion processes and long due to advection and significant longitudinal dispersion, very limited sorptive retardation and negligible, if any, attenuation due to biodegradation or abiotic reaction. TCM was shown to be essentially conservative, TCE very nearly conservative and PCE, consistent with its greater hydrophobicity, more retarded yet having a greater mobility than observed in previous Borden field tests. The absence of biodegradation was ascribed to the prevailing aerobic conditions and lack of any additional biodegradable carbon substrates. The transient groundwater flow regime caused significant transverse lateral plume movement, plume asymmetry and was likely responsible for most of the, albeit limited, transverse horizontal plume spreading. In agreement with the widespread incidence of extensive TCE and PCE plumes throughout the industrialized world, the experiment indicates such solvent plumes are likely to be highly mobile and persistent, at least in aquifers that are aerobic and have low sorption potential (low foc content).