Citation:

Wilkin, R. Zerovalent Iron Permeable Reactive Barriers. United States Department of Defense (DoD) Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), Alexandria, VA, 1-7, (2019).

Impact/Purpose:

Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) are in-situ treatment zones created below ground to cleanup contaminated groundwater. This invited ENVIRO Wiki page is intended to be the go-to article for environmental information on the PRB groundwater remediation technology.

Description:

Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) are in-situ treatment zones created below ground to cleanup contaminated groundwater. PRBs take advantage of natural groundwater migration to transport contaminants to a defined treatment zone. Contaminants are removed from groundwater in the PRB and treated groundwater passes through the permeable zone; eventually a “clean front” is created on the down-gradient side of the PRB. Zerovalent Iron (ZVI) was the first reactive material used in PRBs for groundwater remediation and it continues to be the primary material used in the construction of these treatment systems. ZVI PRBs can treat groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents and their breakdown products such as tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cis-DCE), vinyl chloride (VC), 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA), 1,1-dichloroethane (1,1-DCA), 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA), chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride; explosives such as TNT and RDX; cations of Pb, Cd, Ni, Zn, and Hg; and anions of Cr, As, Sb, Se, U, and Tc.

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