Authors:
PhD Jürgen Braun | University of Stuttgart | Germany
Randi Bitsch | Solvay AG | Sweden
Dr. Matthias Kraatz | Golder Associates GmbH | Germany
Dr. Jorge Gonçalves | Geoplano-Consultores, S.A | Portugal
Nerea Otaegi | Tecnalia Research & Innovation | Spain
Prof. Noam Weisbrod | Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of the Negev | Israel
Ph.D. Petr Kvapil | AQUATEST a.s. | Czech Republic
Demonstrating Nanoremediation in the Field - The NanoRem Test Sites
Juergen Braun(1), Randi Bitsch(2), Matthias Kraatz(3), Jorge Goncalves(4), Nerea Otaegi Ariztimuño(5), Noam Weisbrod(6), Petr Kvapil(7)
1 University of Stuttgart, IWS/VEGAS, Pfaffenwaldring 61, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany; jb@iws.uni-stuttgart.de
2 Solvay (Schweiz) AG, Bad Zurzach, Switzerland
3 Golder Associates GmbH, Heidenkampsweg 81, D-20097 Hamburg, Germany
4 GEOPLANO, Portugal
5 TECNALIA, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, C/Geldo, Edificio 700, E-48160 Derio – Bizkaia, Spain
6 Research Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, BGU, Sede Boker Campus 84990, Israel
7 AQUATEST AS, Prague, Czech Republic
NanoRem (Nanotechnology for contaminated land Remediation) is a research consortium (EU, FP7) dedicated to develop in-situ groundwater remediation technologies based on the injection of nanoparticles in the subsurface. For a successful transfer to the end user, nanoremediation technology performance and applicability has to be shown at realistic scales (pilot sites, field applications), including considerations of cost and wider impacts.
Successful field demonstrations allow for the test of different injection methods for difficult geological conditions. Selected NPs developed in NanoRem are being tested on several sites in different hydrogeological, hydrochemical and climatic environments and also against different contaminant distributions and target contaminants. Efficient performance requires a suitable injection technology, confirmation that NPs can be transported to the required treatment zone and that their longevity guarantees an economical application (but not a hazardous long term persistence in the environment).
A total of seven field injections are being conducted in six countries in the NanoRem project:
In the Bad Zurzach (CH) site CHC were detected in residual concentration in an alluvial aquifer with a fairly high groundwater flow velocity. Milled nZVI particles (UVR-FIA) will be injected to reduce the contaminants.
The Spolchemie Site (CZ) shows a CHC plume and some residual saturation. Groundwater velocities in the alluvial aquifer are moderate. Nanofer 25s (NANOIRON) will be injected to chemically reduce the contamination. In the southeastern part of the Spolchemie site a toluene contamination has been located and delineated. The toluene plume migrating towards the Elbe river is to be intercepted by ironoxide NP (Goethite, HMGU) to enhance microbial degradation and thus to stop the plume.
Barreiro (PO) is an abandoned industrial complex close to the sea with a high content of various heavy metals in both the saturated and unsaturated zone. An additional challenge of this site is the low pH of the groundwater. Different particles are tested to immobilize the heavy metals on small plots on that site.
In Balassagyarmat (HU) next to a company formerly manufacturing electronic equipment (now closed) CHC in plume and some residual saturation has been detected. These contaminations are to be treated using an injection of Carbo-Iron (UFZ, SciDre).
A second heavy metal site is located in Bizkaia (ES). The site is located on an alluvial aquifer next to a river and, in contrast to the Portuguese site, does not show a pH reduction. Goethite NP (HMGU) will be utilized to address this contamination.
The Besor-Secher site in Israel is distinguished by a much more arid climate and a fractured aquifer. While the site offers a range of contaminants from an industrial complex nearby, at this time the main focus on the site is on transport and targeted deposition of various NP in this complicated hydrogeolocical system.
In summary: Particles tested include different kinds of nZVI, Carbo-Iron® and iron-oxide (Goethite) NP. Each of these particles targets specific contaminants (organic, inorganic, chlorinated hydrocarbons etc.), in other words they enhance specific remediation processes (chemical reduction or oxidation, microbial dechlorination or oxidation etc.). Moreover, each NP suspension has specific requirements with respect to hydro-geological (coarse or fine grained porous material, fractures) and hydro-geo-chemical (pH, salinity, redox conditions etc.) site conditions.
The proposed talk will give an overview of the NanoRem sites including their specific goals and challenges. Currently (November 2014), particles were injected in two sites. Three more will follow by the end of March 2015, thus the presentation will also give preliminary results from these test sites.