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Effects of In Situ Remediation Using Oxidants or Surfactants on Subsurface Organic Matter and Sorption of Trichloroethene
Author(s) -
Pan Leanna Woods,
Siegrist Robert L.,
Crimi Michelle
Publication year - 2012
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.1745-6592.2011.01377.x
Subject(s) - environmental remediation , sorption , chemistry , environmental chemistry , total organic carbon , organic matter , loam , partition coefficient , fractional factorial design , dissolved organic carbon , adsorption , factorial experiment , contamination , soil water , soil science , chromatography , environmental science , organic chemistry , ecology , biology , statistics , mathematics
In situ remediation technologies have the potential to alter subsurface properties such as natural organic matter (NOM) content or character, which could affect the organic carbon‐water partitioning behavior of chlorinated organic solvents, including dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs). Laboratory experiments were completed to determine the nature and extent of changes in the partitioning behavior of trichloroethene (TCE) caused by in situ chemical oxidation or in situ surfactant flushing. Sandy porous media were obtained from the subsurface at a site in Orlando, Florida. Experiments were run using soil slurries in zero‐headspace reactors (ZHRs) following a factorial design to study the effects of porous media properties (sand vs. loamy sand with different total organic carbon [TOC] contents), TCE concentration (DNAPL presence or absence), and remediation agent type (potassium permanganate vs. activated sodium persulfate, Dowfax 8390 vs. Tween 80). Results revealed that the fraction of organic carbon ( f oc ) of porous media after treatment by oxidants or surfactants was higher or lower relative to that in the untreated media controls. Isotherm experiments were run using the treated and control media to measure the distribution coefficient ( K d ) of TCE. Organic carbon‐water partitioning coefficient values ( K oc ) calculated from the experimental data revealed that K oc values for TCE in the porous media were altered via treatment using oxidants and surfactants. This alteration can affect the validity of estimates of contaminant mass remaining after remediation. Thus, potential changes in partitioning behavior should be considered to help avoid decision errors when judging the effectiveness of an in situ remediation technology.