Thursday, July 30, 2009 - 10:30 AM
S146

Field Application of Biological Reductive Dechlorination for Remediation of Chlorinated Solvents

Hugh H. Russell and Cassie McFarland Russell, AR Environmental Services, Inc., P.O. Box 711, Cushing, OK 74023 and Thomas C. Holmes, e2M.

Because of prior use and practices, chlorinated solvents have impacted the environment and in some cases present an unacceptable risk.  One method for the remediation of chlorinated solvents is the use of biologically mediated reductive dechlorination.  Biological reductive dechlorination being defined as the application to an environmental compartment of an exogenous carbon source(s), to initiate and sustain reductive dechlorination.   The chlorinated solvent is then used as a terminal electron acceptor for the hydrogen or reducing equivalents formed during the oxidation of the exogenous carbon.

 

For the past two (2) years reductive dechlorination has been used for the remediation of an aquifer impacted with chlorinated solvents specifically, tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), carbon tetrachloride (CT) and chloroform (CF).   A number of  Injection Wells (IW) have been used to apply carbon to the aquifer.  Performance Monitoring Wells (PMW) have been used to 1) monitor efficacy, and 2) monitor parameters (as examples hydrogen and volatile fatty acids) thought to be important indicators of biological reductive dechlorination.

 

Data from both the PMW and IW wells have provided substantial information regarding operational parameters and indicators of a site undergoing biological reductive dechlorination.   Through data evaluation, important operational changes were made that increased efficacy.  


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