Field Experiments Using In Situ Bioremediation to Treat Trichloroethylene (TCE)-Contaminated Groundwater

  • Goltz, Mark N. (Air Force Institute of Technology) ;
  • Gandhi, Rahul K. (Stanford University) ;
  • Gorelick, Steven M. (Stanford University) ;
  • Hopkins, Gary D. (Stanford University) ;
  • McCarty, Perry L. (Stanford University)
  • Published : 2001.04.01

Abstract

Three innovative technologies to remediate trichloroethylene (TCE) in situ were (or currently are being) evaluated at a TCE-contaminated groundwater site at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), California. The three technologies all make use of groundwater recirculation to obviate the need to pump contaminated groundwater to the surface fer treatment. The first technology, which implements aerobic cometabolic bioremediation to destroy TCE in situ, successfully reduced dissolved TCE concentrations from above 1 mg/L to 20-30 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L. The second technology, in-well vapor stripping (IWVS), is capable of treating dissolved TCE at concentrations in the tens to hundreds of mg/L. Finally, the third technology, bioenhanced in-well vapor stripping (BEHIVS): is a combination of the first two technologies, and is designed to reduce very high levels of TCE (tens to hundreds of mg/L) to concentrations that meet regulatory requirements 5 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L). Results of field evaluations of tile first two technologies are presented, and the design of the BEHIVS system. as well as model predictions of BEHIVS performance and the current status of the technology field evaluation. is discussed.

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