REMEDIATION OF GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATED WITH BENZENE (LNAPL) USING IN-SITU AIR SPARGING

This paper presents the results of laboratory investigation performed to study the role of different air sparging system parameters on the removal of benzene from saturated soils and groundwater. A series of one-dimensional experiments was conducted with predetermined contaminant concentrations and predetermined injected airflow rates and pressures to investigate the effect of soil type and the use of pulsed air injection on air sparging removal efficiency. On the basis of these studies, two-dimensional air sparging remediation systems were investigated to determine the effect of soil heterogeneity on the removal of benzene from three different homogeneous and heterogeneous soil profiles. This study demonstrated that the grain size of the soils affects the air sparging removal efficiency. Additionally, it was observed that pulsed air injection did not offer any appreciable enhancement to contaminant removal for the coarse sand; however, substantial reduction in system operating time was observed for fine sand. The 2-D experiments showed that air injected in coarse sand profiles traveled in channels within a parabolic zone. In well-graded sand the zone of influence was found to be wider due to high permeability and increased tortuosity of this soil type. The influence zone of heterogeneous soil (well-graded sand between coarse sand) showed the hybrid airflow patterns of the individual soil test. Overall, the mechanism of contaminant removal using air sparging from different soil conditions have been determined and discussed.