Progress in the development and application of permeable reaction barriers for remediation of dissolved oil contaminants in groundwater

Abstract

As a technology for in situ treatment and remediation of groundwater contamination, permeable reaction barriers (PRBs) have the advantages of operational efficiency and low infrastructure footprint. In order to clarify previous research results and provide references for future research on remediation of contamination by dissolved oil contaminants in groundwater, the focus of this article is to review and compare the application of PRBs for the removal of dissolved oil contaminants and highlights the research gaps. We concentrate on the relationship between structure design, media types and service life of PRBs, along with groundwater flow velocity, temperature, pH and other hydrochemical conditions. These influencing factors are used to make a detailed explanation and analysis of remediation of oil contamination in groundwater. The current application of PRBs is mainly limited to heavy metals and inorganics, rather than persistent organics such as components in oil. The application of new PRB materials and combination of multiple remediation technologies in oil‐contaminated sites will be the focus of future research.