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Treatment of Perchlorate‐Contaminated Groundwater Using Highly Selective, Regenerable Ion‐Exchange Technology: A Pilot‐Scale Demonstration
Author(s) -
Gu Baohua,
Ku YeeKyoung,
Brown Gilbert M.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
remediation journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.762
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 1520-6831
pISSN - 1051-5658
DOI - 10.1002/rem.10025
Subject(s) - perchlorate , groundwater , ion exchange , chemistry , contamination , sulfate , chloride , hazardous waste , bifunctional , environmental chemistry , ion exchange resin , environmental science , waste management , ion , inorganic chemistry , geology , organic chemistry , catalysis , ecology , geotechnical engineering , engineering , biology
Treatment of perchlorate‐contaminated groundwater using highly selective, regenerable ion‐exchangetechnology has been recently demonstrated at Edwards Air Force Base, California. At an influent concentration ofabout 450 μg/l ClO 4 − , the bifunctional anion‐exchange resin bed treatedapproximately 40,000 empty bed volumes of groundwater before a significant breakthrough ofClO 4 − occurred. The presence of relatively high concentrations of chloride and sulfatein site groundwater did not appear to affect the ability of the bifunctional resin to removeClO 4 − . The spent resin bed was successfully regenerated using theFeCl 3 − HCl regeneration technique recently developed at the Oak Ridge NationalLaboratory, and nearly 100 percent of sorbed ClO 4 − was displaced or recovered afterelution with as little as about two bed volumes of the regenerant solution. In addition, a new methodology wasdeveloped to completely destroy ClO 4 − in the FeCl 3 − HClsolution so that the disposal of perchlorate‐containing hazardous wastes could be eliminated. It istherefore anticipated that these treatment and regeneration technologies may offer an efficient andcost‐effective means to remove ClO 4 − from contaminated groundwater withsignificantly reduced generation of waste requiring disposal. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.