Open AccessManipulating subsurface colloids to enhance cleanups of DOE waste sites. 1998 annual progress report
Author(s) -
Philip M. Gschwend
Publication year - 1998
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/13533
Subject(s) - aquifer , environmental remediation , pollutant , colloid , human decontamination , environmental science , groundwater , waste management , environmental engineering , chromium , groundwater remediation , environmental chemistry , contamination , geology , chemistry , chemical engineering , engineering , geotechnical engineering , ecology , organic chemistry , biology
'This project seeks to increase the effectiveness of pump and treat systems for removal of pollutants from sandy aquifers. Pollutants which sorb strongly to aquifer solids are not efficiently remediated using pump and treat technologies. However, if the sorbents most active in immobilizing pollutants (e.g., clays, humics, and iron oxides) were dispersed into colloidal size particles (colloid mobilization), these colloids and their associated pollutants might be pumped from aquifers. At a chromium contaminated sandy aquifer, this project seeks to: (1) understand the forces which stabilize colloidal particles in the aquifer, (2) devise solutions which will disrupt these colloid stabilizing forces, and (3) demonstrate the effectiveness of colloid mobilization as a remediation technique for removing sorbed chromium from the aquifer. This progress report summarizes work completed after 1 1/2 years of a three-year project. The efforts have focused on remediation of a chromium contaminated aquifer located on the property of National Chromium in northeastern Connecticut. Work to date may be divided into three areas: (1) site characterization; (2) identification of colloid binding forces and development of an effective colloid dispersion treatment; and (3) field testing of the aquifer remediation strategy.