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GROUND WATER ARSENIC AND METALS TREATMENT USING A COMBINATION COMPOST-ZVI PRB
Citation:
LUDWIG, R. D., D. G. JEWETT, ANN AZADPOUR-KEELEY, STEVE ACREE, F. P. BECK, P. J. CLARK, D. BLOWES, L. SPINK, AND D. SMYTH. GROUND WATER ARSENIC AND METALS TREATMENT USING A COMBINATION COMPOST-ZVI PRB. Presented at Battelle's Fifth Internation Conference on Remediation of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds, Monterey, CA, May 22 - 25, 2006.
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
A pilot permeable reactive barrier (PRB) consisting of a mixture of leaf compost, zero-valent iron (ZVI), limestone and pea gravel was installed at a former phosphate fertilizer manufacturing facility in Charleston, S.C. in September 2002. The PRB is designed to treat arsenic and heavy metals in ground water entering a tidal marsh by promoting microbially mediated sulfate reduction and subsequent sulfide precipitation. Five rounds of performance monitoring conducted at the site over a period of 30 months since installation of the pilot PRB has thus far shown arsenic is being treated from concentrations of up to126 mg/L in up-gradient wells to average concentrations of less than 0.04 mg/L within the PRB. Lead and cadmium are being treated from concentrations of up to 3.23 mg/L and 2.10 mg/L, respectively to average concentrations of less than 0.009 mg/L and 0.003 mg/L, respectively. Solid phase analysis of PRB cores has indicated the presence of precipitated arsenic-containing iron sulfides. Alkalinities measured as high as 630 mg/L as CaCO3 within the PRB indicate conversion of the ground water from a net acid producing potential to a net acid consuming potential.