Field Study VII: Field Study of Three Different Injectable Oxygen Sources to Enhance Mono-Aromatic Solvents In Situ Biodegradation
Abstract
The present field study describes a pilot remediation test of calcium peroxide, modified calcium peroxide, and gelatinous hydrogen peroxide as oxygen sources to enhance mono-aromatic solvents in situ biodegradation. The field study was carried out in well permeable aquifer contaminated mainly by benzene, toluene, and chlorobenzene.
Three different Oxygen Release Compounds (ORCs) were injected near three different monitoring wells situated in the center of the contamination plume. The injections were performed via direct push top-down method.
Each oxygen source tested was injected into two direct push probes in close vicinity of respective monitoring well. Membrane interface probe (MIP) investigation was utilized for targeting of the oxygen sources injections into most contaminated layers in the subsurface.
Although there was a high heterogeneity of the conditions prevailing in the respective injection areas, it can be stated that the injection of all the materials enhanced the in situ biodegradation and led to significant drops in the concentrations of the contaminants. Therefore, in situ biodegradation without bioaugmentation can be considered a feasible method for the clean-up of the tested site.