Engineering Commons^™

Modeling Heat Propagation And Thermal Enhanced Decay In A Solar Thermal Remediation System, Justin Trainor

All Theses

Low temperature solar thermal remediation is designed to accelerate ongoing biotic and abiotic treatment processes at a much lower temperature and cost than high temperature thermal remediation strategies. An array of borehole heat exchangers are used to circulate a solar-heated fluid through a closed-loop system of thermally conductive pipes. Thermal energy heats the surrounding contaminated zone through the process of thermal conduction which serves to enhance the degradation of the contaminant.

A three dimensional analytical solution was previously constructed to model heat propagation from borehole heat exchangers into the surrounding subsurface. The model utilizes a system of finite line sources …

The Effect Of Using Palm Oil As An Electron Donor For The Reductive Dechlorination Of Trichloroethylene (Tce), Shivani Swamy

All Theses

TCE is currently remediated using physical methods like air stripping and granular activated carbon adsorption. While physical and chemical processes work on a site-specific basis, biological strategies have been favored as they are economical and reliable. The objective of this work was to determine the feasibility of using palm oil as an electron donor in the reductive dechlorination of TCE to ethene. Palm oil was considered for the study because it is locally grown in many parts of the world. The palm oil that does not meet the industry standards is discarded. Despite the environmental impacts caused by the palm …

Microcosm Evaluation Of Enhanced Bioremediation For Halogenated Methanes At A Former Industrial Site, Hao Wang

All Theses

Halogenated methanes are among the most frequently encountered contaminants at hazardous waste sites. One such site in California is contaminated with chloroform (CF), carbon tetrachloride (CT), and trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11). CF, CT and CFC-11 are the main focus of this research; they are present at the California site at concentrations in the mg per liter range and a plume of contaminated groundwater emanating from a source zone is approaching a property boundary, necessitating remediation. Anaerobic bioremediation is one of the technologies under consideration for addressing the source zone and the less concentrated downgradient plume. A microcosm study was performed to evaluate …

Biodegradation Of Hexahydro-1,3,5-Trinitro-1,3,5-Triazine (Rdx) Using Photosynthetic Bacteria, Sarah Galloway

All Theses

Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) is an emerging contaminant according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). RDX was introduced as a secondary explosive during World War II. It is still used in many explosive such as hand grenades. RDX enters the environment mostly through the manufacturing process or from the use of explosives. RDX is a suspected carcinogen and can also affect the nervous system of humans. Therefore, RDX has become a chemical of concern across many United States military bases and open and closed manufacturing plants. The goal of this research was to evaluate the biodegradation of RDX via two phototrophic bacteria: …

Microcosm Evaluation Of Enhanced Bioremediation For An Industrial Site Contaminated With Chlorinated Ethenes, Chlorinated Benzenes, And Benzene, Christopher Moss

All Theses

Groundwater contaminants at an industrial site in South Carolina include tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cDCE), vinyl chloride (VC), 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (1,2,4-TCB), 1,2-dichlorobenzene (1,2-DCB), 1,4-dichlorobenzene (1,4-DCB), chlorobenzene (CB), and benzene. The source areas at the site include a tank farm area, a grease trap area, the former wastewater lagoons (WWTP) and the former oil retention pond (ORP). A microcosm evaluation was preformed to determine the potential for bioremediation to treat the organic contaminants in the four source areas (within the saturated zone) and in a downgradient portion of the groundwater plume. The objectives were to evaluate 1) anaerobic treatment at the …

Microcosm Study Of 1,4-Dioxane Biotransformation, Philip Arve

All Theses

1,4-Dioxane is an emerging groundwater contaminant and probable human carcinogen with considerable potential remediation costs due to its hydrophilic and recalcitrant nature. Commonly occurring with 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA) plumes due to its application as a solvent stabilizer, 1,4-dioxane is also used in industrial lubricants and occurs as an impurity in numerous personal care products. Current treatment strategies to treat dioxane contamination include advanced oxidation processes and biological treatment, though only aerobic paths of biodegradation are currently understood. Laboratory and field studies have indicated the possible inhibitory effects of 1,1,1-TCA and its abiotically transformed daughter product, 1,1-dichloroethene (1,1-DCE) on the aerobic biodegradation …

Evaluation Of Dichloromethane As An Electron Donor For Reductive Dechlorination Of Tetrachloroethene To Ethene, Yogendra Kanitkar

All Theses

Tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) are the predominant contaminants at hazardous waste sites in the United States. Although less prevalent, dichloromethane (DCM) is also found at a number of sites. EPA classifies PCE and DCM as likely to be carcinogenic in humans by all routes of exposure, while TCE is classified as carcinogenic to humans by all routes. At some sites, releases of PCE, TCE and DCM comingle in the groundwater. Field evidence from one such site in California suggests that DCM is used as the electron donor for reductive dechlorination of TCE. Nevertheless, definitive evidence that DCM can serve …

Evaluation Of Tetrachloroethene Dechlorination Under Low Ph Conditions In Microcosms And Enrichment Cultures, Michael Hickey

All Theses

Chlorinated ethenes are among the most prevalent groundwater contaminants found at hazardous waste sites throughout the United States. Two such sites are the Statesville FCX OU3 Superfund Site in North Carolina and the C-area at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, SC. Both sites are contaminated with two of the more common chlorinated ethenes; tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE). Anaerobic biological reductive dechlorination is an increasingly common treatment option. There are two main concerns as to the feasibility of this approach. The first is if the microbes are present that are needed for carrying out complete reductive dechlorination of …

Biological Treatment To Remove Color And Toxicity Of Effluent From The Manufacturing Of Navipol Yellow Gr, Larry French

All Theses

Navipol Yellow GR is an organic solvent azo dye manufactured by Sunbelt Corp. in Rock Hill, SC. The effluent generated from the manufacturing of this dye is highly colored, toxic, and contains trace solvents consisting of mixed xylene isomers and ethyl benzene. Traditional wastewater treatment systems are unable to remove the color and toxicity from the effluent. This study investigated using a sequential anaerobic / aerobic treatment system to decrease color and toxicity of the dye effluent. The anaerobic phase used bacteria cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis, or Enterobacter aerogenes to decrease the color of the dye. …

Scale-Up And Characterization Of An Enrichment Culture For Bioaugmentation Of The P-Area Chlorinated Ethene Plume At The Savannah River Site, Ashley Eaddy

All Theses

Bioaugmentation has become an increasingly popular remediation strategy for groundwater sites contaminated with chlorinated solvents. When biostimulation is not an option due to the lack of necessary microorganisms required for dechlorination of the contaminants, bioaugmentation is an attractive option for remediation. The P-Area groundwater plumes at the Savannah River Site (SRS) are just such a case. The P-Area site is contaminated with tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), and cis-dichloroethene (cDCE), and no dechlorination past cDCE is occurring. A similar site, the C-Area site, is near one of the P-Area site's source zones but displays complete reduction of TCE to ethene. …