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LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS TO REMEDIATE CONTAMINATED GROUND WATER
Citation:
Puls*, R W. LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF PERMEABLE REACTIVE BARRIERS TO REMEDIATE CONTAMINATED GROUND WATER. Presented at Fourth USA/CIS Joint Conference/Hydrologic Issues at the 21st Century Ecology Environment and Human Health, San Francisco, CA, 11/07-10/1999.
Description:
Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) are an emerging, alternative in-situ approach for remediating groundwater contamination that combine subsurface fluid flow management with a passive chemical treatment zone. The few pilot and commercial installations which have been implemented thus far have proven that passive reactive barriers can be a cost-effective and efficient approach to remediate these compounds. However, in all of the pilot and commercial installations to date there has been very little data collected or research focused on the long-term performance of these in-situ systems, particularly with respect to the build-up of surface precipitates or bio-fouling. A detailed analysis of the rate of surface precipitate buildup in these types of passive in-situ systems is critical to understanding how long these systems will remain effective. Different types of minerals and surface coatings have been observed to form under different geochemical aquifer chemistry. Microbiological activity impacts are also important to understand and bettcr predict how long these systems will remain effective in the subsurface. This project will assess long-term performance at three PRB sites: 1) the Elizabeth City USCG site in North Carolina, 2) the Somersworth landfill Superfund site, Somersworth, New Hampshire and 3) the Denver Federal Center site in Lakewood. Colorado. Work to date has focused on analysis of trends in ground water quality parameters, surface analysis of recovered iron from the wall over a period of two years, and assessment of microbiological activity within the wall and at the upgradient and downgradient interfaces.