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TREATMENT OF METALS IN GROUND WATER USING AN ORGANIC-BASED SULFATE-REDUCING PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIER
Citation:
LUDWIG, R. D., D. G. JEWETT, AND ANN AZADPOUR-KEELEY. TREATMENT OF METALS IN GROUND WATER USING AN ORGANIC-BASED SULFATE-REDUCING PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIER. Presented at 2008 Annual Meeting of the Society for Industrial Microbiology, San Diego, CA, August 10 - 14, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
Evaluation of Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRB).
Description:
A pilot permeable reactive barrier (PRB) consisting of a mixture of leaf compost, zero-valent iron (ZVI) filings, limestone and pea gravel was evaluated at a former phosphate fertilizer manufacturing facility in Charleston, S.C. The PRB is designed to treat arsenic and heavy metals in ground water by promoting microbially-mediated sulfate reduction and subsequent sulfide precipitation. Performance monitoring conducted over a period of 30 months indicated effective treatment of arsenic, lead, and cadmium with concentrations up to 126 mg/L, 3.23 mg/L, and 2.10 mg/L, respectively entering the PRB being treated to average concentrations of less than 0.04 mg/L, 0.009 mg/L, and 0.003 mg/L, respectively within the PRB. The significant presence of sulfate reducers and observed 34S enrichment within the PRB provided strong supporting evidence of sulfate reduction. Low sulfide concentrations measured in the PRB pore water suggest sulfide is likely being rapidly precipitated out within the PRB upon reaction with metals and excess dissolved iron.