A first pilot‐scale field experiment using vitamin B12 and reduced titanium was conducted in an in situ vertical circulation column at CFB Borden. The objective of the experiment was to test the applicability of the technology for restoring aquifer source zones contaminated by chlorinated solvents—tetrachloroethene (PCE) and 1,1,1‐trichloroethane (1,1,1‐TCA)—in a mixture of dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs). Vitamin B12 promotes the reductive dechlorination of chlorinated organics. A highly reducing and slightly alkaline environment must be maintained (Eh < ‐ 480 mV and 7 < pH < 9) to maximize the rate of degradation. In this field test, PCE and 1,1,1‐TCA degraded to a limited extent under experimental conditions, with 1,1,1‐TCA degrading more readily. Indigenous bacteria were found to metabolize citrate, which caused titanium to precipitate, limiting degradation. The addition of glucose at the end of a second field season effectively limited citrate degradation and helped recover the optimal redox potential by keeping reduced titanium in solution. A laboratory column was used to confirm field results. The column also produced a significant biomass, which provided an additional source of organic carbon onto which the solvents sorbed.
The in situ vertical circulation column (ISVCC) is a cylindrical containment system consisting of an instrumented steel cylinder used for experimental ground water studies in sandy aquifers. Vertical flow is imposed inside the ISVCC. Although vertical wells are an option, the ISVCC installed in the Borden Aquifer is instrumented with horizontal wells and monitoring ports to avoid creating vertical preferential flow paths. The cylinder was driven downward into the aquifer using a small backhoe equipped with a vibrating plate. The ISVCC penetrates the 2.3‐m‐thic sand aquifer and is keyed 20 cm into the underlying clay aquitard. The cylinder was installed inside a 2 m X 2 m steel sheet pile enclosure so that the enclosed segment of aquifer could be conveniently dewatered and then excavated to allow installation of the horizontal wells. The dispersivity of the column was comparable to literature values for long sand‐packed laboratory columns.
Pure phase DNAPL (tetrachloroethene and 1,1,1‐trichloroethane) was slowly pumped into two ports in the center of the column. Following this DNAPL injection, an aqueous solution of vitamin B12 and reduced titanium was circulated through the column to promote degradation of the solvents. Processes observed in the ISVCC included DNAPL distribution, dissolution, and degradation, and geochemical evolution of the aquifer.
The ISVCC provides a convenient means for testing in situ technologies in the experimental stage or for selection of proven technologies to find the most effective at a specific site. It is inexpensive, easy to install, and maximizes control over flow distribution in a heterogeneous aquifer. Its application will be restricted where low hydraulic conductivity beds are present in the aquifer.
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