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PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS FOR REMEDIATION OF CONTAMINATED GROUND WATER
Citation:
Puls*, R W. PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS FOR REMEDIATION OF CONTAMINATED GROUND WATER. Presented at 10th Annual Applied Research and Development Cleanup Technology Colloquium, Scottsdale, AZ, 05/11-14/1999.
Description:
Permeable reactive barriers (PRB's) are an emerging, alternative in-situ approach for remediating groundwater contamination that combine subsurface fluid flow management with a passive chemical treatment zone. Removal of contaminants from the groundwater plume is achieved by altering the chemical conditions of the plume as it moves through the reactive barrier. Because the reactive barrier approach is a passive treatment, a large plume can be treated in a cost effective manner relative to traditional pump and treat systems. This paper will mainly focus on uncertainty in long-term performance of these passive, in-situ systems. Key to successful implementation of this technology is confidence that the permeable treatment wall will continue to remove contaminants down to regulatory levels over its required operational lifetime. Long-term operating and maintenance costs for PRB's will be determined by the need to replace the reactive media (e.g. iron) if it loses its reactivity or if its hydraulic conductivity decreases significantly. This program will use chemical and microbiological analysis of iron cores taken from iron treatment zones in the field and relevant site data to assess long-term performance of these systems.