Abstract
A laboratory experiment with two sequenced columns was performed as a preliminary study for the installation of a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) at a site where a mixed ground water contamination exists. The first column contained granular zero valent iron (ZVI), the second column was filled with granular activated carbon (GAC). Trichloromethane (TCM, 930 μg/l) and chlorobenzene (MCB, 260 μg/l) were added to the ground water from the site as the main contaminants. Smaller amounts (<60 μg/l) of benzene, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1,2-trichloroethane (1,1,2-TCA), 1,1-dichloroethene (1,1-DCE), trichloroethene (TCE), tetrachloroethene (PCE), 1,2-dichloropropane (1,2-DCP), bromodichloromethane (BDCM), dibromochloromethane (DBCM), tribromomethane (TBM), vinyl chloride and chromate were also added to the water to simulate the complex contamination pattern at the site of interest. PCE, TCE, 1,1-DCE, DBCM, BDCM, TBM, MCB and chromate were remediated in contact with ZVI, while the remaining contaminants showed incomplete degradation. A fraction of 8–16.5% TCM was converted to dichloromethane (DCM). Remaining contaminant concentrations were efficiently sorbed by the GAC until breakthrough of DCM was observed after 1,230 exchanged pore volumes in the GAC. The results show that the complex mixture of contaminants can be remediated by a sequenced PRB consisting of ZVI and GAC and that DCM sorption capacity is the critical parameter for the dimensions of the GAC reactor.
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Acknowledgements
Financial support for this study was provided by I.M.E.S. (Gesellschaft für innovative Mess-, Erkundungs- und Sanierungstechnologien mbH), Amtzell, Germany. Cr concentrations were determined by the ICP-MS laboratory of the Institute of Geosciences, University of Kiel.
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Plagentz, V., Ebert, M. & Dahmke, A. Remediation of ground water containing chlorinated and brominated hydrocarbons, benzene and chromate by sequential treatment using ZVI and GAC. Environ Geol 49, 684–695 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0106-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0106-z