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Full-Text Articles in Environmental Engineering

Modeling In Situ Bioremediation Of Perchlorate-Contaminated Groundwater, Roland E. Secody Mar 2007

Modeling In Situ Bioremediation Of Perchlorate-Contaminated Groundwater, Roland E. Secody

Theses and Dissertations

Perchlorate-contaminated groundwater is a significant problem for the Department of Defense and the United States Air Force. An innovative technology was recently developed which uses dual-screened treatment wells to mix an electron donor into perchlorate-contaminated groundwater in order to effect in situ bioremediation of the perchlorate by indigenous perchlorate reducing bacteria without the need to extract the contaminated water from the subsurface. In this study, a model that simulates operation of the technology is calibrated and validated using 761 days of observational data obtained from a field-scale technology evaluation project. A genetic algorithm was used with the first 113 days …


Development Of A Screening Model For Design And Costing Of An Innovative Tailored Granular Activated Carbon Technology To Treat Perchlorate-Contaminated Water, William C. Powell Mar 2007

Development Of A Screening Model For Design And Costing Of An Innovative Tailored Granular Activated Carbon Technology To Treat Perchlorate-Contaminated Water, William C. Powell

Theses and Dissertations

Perchlorate contamination of drinking water is a problem that has recently gained national attention. The purpose of this research was to develop a tool to predict the cost and performance of tailored granular activated carbon (T-GAC), an innovative technology to treat perchlorate-contaminated water. The ability to predict cost and performance is essential to promote transfer and commercialization of innovative technologies. This study investigated how data obtained from small-scale laboratory tests could be applied to predict cost and performance of a full-scale T-GAC system to treat perchlorate-contaminated water. A technology model was developed using GAC design principles and using a multi-component …


Characterization Of Chlorinated Ethene Degradation In A Vertical Flow Constructed Wetland, James M. Waldron Mar 2007

Characterization Of Chlorinated Ethene Degradation In A Vertical Flow Constructed Wetland, James M. Waldron

Theses and Dissertations

Chlorinated solvents, including perchloroethene (PCE) and trichlorethene (TCE), are among the most common groundwater contaminants found in the United States. Once released into the environment, chlorinated solvents are extremely persistent and often require costly and lengthy remedial actions. The use of constructed wetlands has shown promise as an effective and less costly alternative for the treatment of chlorinated solvent contaminated groundwater. This study characterized and evaluated the concentration of chlorinated ethenes within a vertical flow constructed wetland, fed with PCE contaminated groundwater, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), Ohio. Chlorinated ethene concentrations were characterized within three distinct layers of the …


Analysis Of Bacterial Population And Distribution In The Developing Strata Of A Constructed Wetland Used For Chlorinated Ethene Bioremediation, Milton J. Clausen Jr. Mar 2006

Analysis Of Bacterial Population And Distribution In The Developing Strata Of A Constructed Wetland Used For Chlorinated Ethene Bioremediation, Milton J. Clausen Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Chlorinated hydrocarbons and their degradation products are among of the most common organic groundwater contaminates in the United States. These compounds attack the central nervous system in animals and can affect the photosynthesis of plants. These compounds are also resistant to degradation in the environment and, because of this, pose a risk to any ecosystem in which they are present. This study identified the dominant microbial species in a constructed treatment wetland at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Samples were taken from three different depths and during each of the four seasons. These samples were …


Modeling Application Of Hydrogen Release Compound To Effect In Situ Bioremediation Of Chlorinated Solvent-Contaminated Groundwater, Ryan C. Wood Mar 2005

Modeling Application Of Hydrogen Release Compound To Effect In Situ Bioremediation Of Chlorinated Solvent-Contaminated Groundwater, Ryan C. Wood

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates how application of Hydrogen Release Compound (HRC) might be implemented to remediate a site contaminated with tetrachloroethene (PCE) or its daughter products, under varying site conditions. The 3-D reactive transport model RT3D was coupled with a dual-Monod biodegradation submodel to simulate the effect of the hydrogen generated by HRC on accelerating the biodegradation of dissolved chlorinated solvents. Varying site conditions and injection well configurations were investigated to determine the effect of these environmental and design conditions on overall treatment efficiency. The model was applied to data obtained at a chlorinated solvent contaminated site at Vandenberg AFB, where …


Modeling A Field Application Of In Situ Bioremediation Of Perchlorate-Contaminated Groundwater Using Horizontal Flow Treatment Wells (Hftws), Peter G. Chosa Mar 2004

Modeling A Field Application Of In Situ Bioremediation Of Perchlorate-Contaminated Groundwater Using Horizontal Flow Treatment Wells (Hftws), Peter G. Chosa

Theses and Dissertations

Perchlorate contaminated groundwater is rapidly becoming a significant environmental remediation issue for the Department of Defense. In this study, an existing numerical model that simulates the operation of a Horizontal Flow Treatment Well (HFTW) system to effect the in situ biodegradation of perchlorate through the addition of an electron donor is modified to include a submodel that describes bioclogging. Bioclogging restricts flow out of the HFTW due to the accumulation of biomass directly adjacent to the well. The modified model is then applied to an existing perchlorate contaminated site that will be used for an evaluation of the HFTW technology. …


Palladium-Catalyzed Destruction Of Nitro Aromatic-Contaminated Groundwater, Dennis Landon Phillips Mar 2003

Palladium-Catalyzed Destruction Of Nitro Aromatic-Contaminated Groundwater, Dennis Landon Phillips

Theses and Dissertations

Of the over 17,000 DoD sites that potentially require remediation, sites containing soil and groundwater contaminated by energetic compounds are prevalent (Larson et al., 2001). Production of energetics such as 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), hexahydro-1,3,5 - trinitro- 1,3,5 -triazine (RDX), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro- 1,3,5,7-tetrasocine (HMX) for use in munitions has created a DoD-wide problem due to improper disposal techniques (Price et al., 2001), Nitro aromatic compounds (NACs) similar to those used in explosives can also be found in insecticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals, dyes, plastics, and many other commonly used products. The natural breakdown of these contaminants creates byproducts such as amines, which are known …


Groundwater Flow Through A Constructed Treatment Wetland, Andrew C. Entingh Mar 2002

Groundwater Flow Through A Constructed Treatment Wetland, Andrew C. Entingh

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the flow of groundwater through one of the treatment cells. A major goal of the study is to determine whether the system design facilitates uniform vertical flows through the subsurface soil sediments or if preferential flows occur. Conceptually, uniform flows will achieve the most efficient degree of contaminant removal possible by evenly dispersing the groundwater contaminants throughout the full volume of the subsurface media. A three-dimensional grid of piezometers is used to generate potentiometric contour maps, and in-situ tests of hydraulic conductivity facilitate construction of a numerical computer model. The contours of hydraulic head, measured conductivities, and …


Determining The Value Of Groundwater Contamination Source Removal: A Methodology, Benjamin C. Recker Mar 2001

Determining The Value Of Groundwater Contamination Source Removal: A Methodology, Benjamin C. Recker

Theses and Dissertations

Subsurface contamination by industrial chemicals is one of the most prevalent and costly environmental problems facing the United States government. This contamination problem must be managed to protect human health and the environment. Two basic strategies are used to deal with subsurface contamination: source removal and contaminant containment. While much cost and performance data are available for individual technologies associated with each of these strategies, there have been very few studies that have examined the benefits of implementing source removal technologies in order to reduce contaminant containment (and hopefully total) costs. This study examines the tradeoff between extent of source …


A Model For Palladium Catalyzed Destruction Of Chlorinated Ethenes In Contaminated Groundwater, Christopher M. Stoppel Mar 2001

A Model For Palladium Catalyzed Destruction Of Chlorinated Ethenes In Contaminated Groundwater, Christopher M. Stoppel

Theses and Dissertations

Groundwater contamination by chlorinated ethenes is a widespread environmental problem. Conventional remediation technologies have shortcomings that have prompted further research into the development of novel treatment technologies. A palladium/ alumina catalyst in the presence of dissolved molecular hydrogen (referred to hereafter as a PD/H2 system) has been demonstrated to rapidly destroy chlorinated ethene contaminated groundwater. First-order kinetics have been used to model chlorinated ethene destruction in a PD/H2 reactor. However, catalyst deactivation and regeneration are important processes that also need to be modeled in order to better understand their effect on treatment efficiency. This study presents a model …


Modeling Biodegradation Of Chlorinated Groundwater Contaminants Under Iron-Reducing Conditions Of A Constructed Wetland: A System Dynamics Approach, Max E. Johnson Mar 2001

Modeling Biodegradation Of Chlorinated Groundwater Contaminants Under Iron-Reducing Conditions Of A Constructed Wetland: A System Dynamics Approach, Max E. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine and explore the fundamental processes associated with biodegradation of chlorinated ethenes in iron-reducing conditions of a constructed wetland and to evaluate the impacts of changing conditions (both natural and engineer-controlled) on the system. The modeler uses a system dynamics approach to construct a model that represents behavior in the iron-reducing environment. The model incorporates hematite, a form of oxidized iron (Fe3+), as the electron acceptor in microbial biodegradation in the system. Vinyl chloride, cis-dichloroethene, and trans-dichloroethene are known to anaerobically degrade to carbon dioxide in the presence of oxidized iron. …


Quantitative Validation Of A Model Of Chlorinated Ethene Natural Attenuation, Harold C. Young Mar 2001

Quantitative Validation Of A Model Of Chlorinated Ethene Natural Attenuation, Harold C. Young

Theses and Dissertations

Chlorinated ethenes are among the most prevalent groundwater contaminants at hazardous waste sites nationwide. In an attempt to manage the risks posed by these contaminants, while controlling costs, monitored natural attenuation (MNA) is being considered as a remediation strategy at many sites. MNA relies on naturally occurring physical, chemical, and biological processes in the subsurface to reduce the risk posed by the contamination. The implementation of MNA, however, requires a detailed understanding of these processes, and how they impact contamination at a particular site. One way to gain this understanding is through contaminant fate and transport modeling. In this study, …


Optimal Pulsed Pumping For Aquifer Remediation When Contaminant Transport Is Affected By Rate-Limited Sorption: A Calculus Of Variation Approach, Richard T. Hartman Sep 1994

Optimal Pulsed Pumping For Aquifer Remediation When Contaminant Transport Is Affected By Rate-Limited Sorption: A Calculus Of Variation Approach, Richard T. Hartman

Theses and Dissertations

The remediation of groundwater contamination continues to persist as a social and economic problem due to increased governmental regulations and public health concerns. Additionally, the geochemistry of the aquifer and the contaminant transport within the aquifer complicates the remediation process to restore contaminated aquifers to conditions compatible with health-based standards. Currently, the preferred method for aquifer cleanup pump-and-treat has several limitations including, the persistence of sorbed chemicals on soil matrix and the long term operation and maintenance expense. The impetus of this research was to demonstrate that a calculus of variations approach could be applied to a pulsed pumping aquifer …


Modeling Of Ground Water Aquifer Remediation By Pulsed Pumping When Contaminant Transport Is Affected By Physical, Non-Equilibrium Sorption And Desorption, Jeffrey L. Caspers Aug 1994

Modeling Of Ground Water Aquifer Remediation By Pulsed Pumping When Contaminant Transport Is Affected By Physical, Non-Equilibrium Sorption And Desorption, Jeffrey L. Caspers

Theses and Dissertations

This research postulates and demonstrates a modification incorporating rate-limited sorption effects in the USGS SUTRA code for cleanup of a hypothetical sandy aquifer by pump-and-treat remediation methods. Contaminant transport is assumed to be affected by advection, dispersion, and rate-limited sorption/desorption. Sorption is assumed to be either equilibrium or rate-limited, with the rate-limitation described by either a first-order law, or by Fickian diffusion of contaminant through a spherical immobile pore region. Solutions are arrived at by split operator methods for the transport and one-dimensional Galerkin solutions for the solute concentration equations. The resulting model is tested against an analytical Laplace transform …