System Effects on Benzene Removal from Saturated Soils and Ground Water Using Air Sparging
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 124, Issue 3
Abstract
This paper presents the results of a laboratory investigation performed to study the role of various air sparging system parameters on the removal of benzene from saturated soils and ground water. A series of one-dimensional column experiments was conducted with predetermined contaminant concentrations and predetermined injected air flow rates and pressures to investigate the effects of: (1) the soil type; (2) the use of pulsed air injection; and (3) the synergistic effects of co-contaminants on air sparging removal efficiency. This study demonstrated that the grain size of the soils affects the air sparging removal efficiency. A threshold value exists for effective particle size (D10), which is equal to 0.2 mm; above this threshold value, the rate of removal is linearly proportional to the D10 value; while below this value, there is a drastic increase in the time required for contaminant removal. Additionally, it was demonstrated that pulsed air injection did not offer any appreciable advantages over continuous injection for the coarse sand; however, pulsed air injection led to substantial reductions in system operating time for the fine sand. Finally, it was found that benzene and toluene existing alone had similar removal rates; however, they were removed slightly more quickly when they coexisted in the test soil.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Ardito, C. P., and Billings, J. F. (1990). “Alternative remediation strategies: The subsurface volatilization and ventilation system.”Proc., Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Ground Water: Prevention, Detection, and Restoration, Houston, TX, 281–296.
2.
Brown, R., Herman, C., and Henry, E. (1991). “The use of aeration in environmental clean-ups.”Proc., Haztech Int. Pittsburgh Waste Conf., 2A1–2A41.
3.
Geller, J. T., and Hunt, J. R.(1993). “Mass transfer from nonaqueous phase organic liquids in water-saturated porous media.”Water Resour. Res., 29(4), 833–845.
4.
Ji, W., Dahmani, A., Ahlfeld, D. P., Lin, J. D., and Hill III, E. (1993). “Laboratory study of air sparging: Air flow visualization.”Ground Water Monitoring Rev., Fall, 115–126.
5.
Lyman, W. J., Reidy, P. J., and Levy, B. (1992). Mobility and degradation of organic contaminants in subsurface environments. C. K. Smoley, Inc., Chelsea, Mich.
6.
Marley, M. C. (1991). Air sparging in conjunction with soil vapor extraction for source removal at VOC spill sites. Presented at the NWWA Fifth Nat. Outdoor Action Conf., Las Vegas, Nev.
7.
Marley, M. C., Hazebrouck, D. J., and Walsh, M. T. (1992). “The application of in situ air sparging as an innovative soils and ground water remediation technology.”Ground Water Monitoring Rev., Spring, 137–145.
8.
Reddy, K. R., Kosgi, S., and Zhou, J.(1995). “A review of in-situ air sparging for the remediation of VOC-contaminated saturated soils and groundwater.”Haz. Waste and Haz. Mat., 12(2), 97–118.
9.
Reddy, K. R., and Adams, J. A.(1996). “In-situ air sparging: A new approach for groundwater remediation.”Geotech. News, 14(4), 27–32.
10.
Reddy, K. R. (ed.). (1996). Proc., 4th Great Lakes Geotech. and Geoenvir. Conf. on In-Situ Remediation of Contaminated Sites, Univ. of Illinois, Chicago, Ill.
11.
Schima, S., LaBrecque, D. J., and Lundegard, P. D. (1996). “Monitoring air sparging using resistivity tomography.”Ground Water Monitoring Rev., Spring, 131–138.
12.
Semer, R., Adams, J. A., and Reddy, K. R. (1996). “Surfactant enhanced air sparging for groundwater remediation: Preliminary results.”Proc., 4th Great Lakes Geotech. and Geoenvir. Conf. on In-Situ Remediation of Contaminated Sites, 197–213.
13.
Semer, R., and Reddy, K. R. (1997a). “Mechanisms controlling toluene removal from saturated soils during in-situ air sparging.”J. Haz. Mat.
14.
Semer, R., and Reddy, K. R. (1997b). “An experimental investigation of air flow patterns in saturated soils during air sparging.” Submitted for publication to the Geoech. and Geological Engrg. J.
15.
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (1993). “Remediation technologies screening matrix and reference guide.”EPA-542-B-93-005, Washington, D.C.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 124 • Issue 3 • March 1998
Pages: 288 - 299
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Mar 1, 1998
Published in print: Mar 1998
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.