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Injection of Zero‐Valent Iron into an Unconfined Aquifer Using Shear‐Thinning Fluids
Author(s) -
Truex M.J.,
Vermeul V.R.,
Mendoza D.P.,
Fritz B.G.,
Mackley R.D.,
Oostrom M.,
Wietsma T.W.,
Macbeth T.W.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
groundwater monitoring and remediation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1745-6592
pISSN - 1069-3629
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6592.2010.01319.x
Subject(s) - aquifer , zerovalent iron , shear (geology) , pulmonary surfactant , shear thinning , injection well , geology , chemistry , geotechnical engineering , groundwater , materials science , petroleum engineering , composite material , petrology , adsorption , biochemistry , organic chemistry , viscosity
Approximately 190 kg of 2 μm‐diameter zero‐valent iron (ZVI) particles were injected into a test zone in the top 2 m of an unconfined aquifer within a trichloroethene (TCE) source area. A shear‐thinning fluid was used to enhance ZVI delivery in the subsurface to a radial distance of up to 4 m from a single injection well. The ZVI particles were mixed in‐line with the injection water, shear‐thinning fluid, and a low concentration of surfactant. ZVI was observed at each of the seven monitoring wells within the targeted radius of influence during injection. Additionally, all wells within the targeted zone showed low TCE concentrations and primarily dechlorination products present 44 d after injection. These results suggest that ZVI can be directly injected into an aquifer with shear‐thinning fluids to induce dechlorination and extends the applicability of ZVI to situations where other emplacement methods may not be viable.