Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Phytoextraction Of Lead (Pb) Contaminated Soil By Switchgrass (Panicum Virgatum L): Impact Of Bap And Nta Applications, Genna Hart, Austin Gilly, Marina Koether, Thomas Mcelroy, Sigurdur Greipsson

Faculty and Research Publications

The accumulation of Pb deposits in soil is a growing global concern. Soil remediation options include phytoextraction that involves the use of plants and associated soil microorganism. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a second-generation bioenergy crop was used in this study due to its ability to produce high biomass and grow in metal polluted soils. Plants were grown in Pb-contaminated soil (5,802.5 mg kg−1) in an environmentally controlled greenhouse. Plants were treated with exogenous application of the plant growth regulator (PGR) benzylaminopurine (BAP) or complete foliar nutrient solution (Triple-12®) twice a week until harvested. Plants also received the soil fungicide propiconazole …

Application Of A 14c-Assay To Assess Methanotrophic Biodegradation Of Tce In Low Ph Groundwater, Evan Groome

All Theses

Current biological strategies for remediating trichloroethylene (TCE) in low pH aquifers (i.e., pH14C-TCE assay was developed to determine pseudo first-order rate constants for the degradation of TCE in microcosms containing soil and groundwater from the Boeing Michigan Aeronautical Research Center (BOMARC) superfund site, where the pH ranges from 4.1 to 4.9. The ¹⁴C-TCE assay was also adapted to calculate soil-normalized rate constants for data from this site, as well as data that Szwast²¹ collected from the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC). In addition to natural attenuation, biostimulation through amendments of methane and nutrients were also assessed. This treatment …

Floating Treatment Wetlands For Brackish Waters: Plant Selection And Nutrient Uptake Potential., Andrea Landaverde

All Theses

Brackish water bodies in coastal regions provide critical ecosystem services that support human and environmental health. Anthropogenic activities such as agricultural and industrial activities, construction, urban settlements, and tourism contribute to increased inputs of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in brackish coastal ecosystems. Excess nutrients can lead to impaired water quality and affect marine organisms. Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are a vegetated-base technology used to remove contaminants from water column, that has been mainly studied and applied in freshwater systems. Application of FTWs in brackish systems requires further investigation, as high salinity in brackish waters could result in toxicity to …

Carbon Injection To Support In-Situ Smouldering Remediation, Gillian Wilton

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of anthropogenic contaminants that are growing increasing concern due to their associated negative health affects. The properties of PFAS result in their persistence and stability which present challenges for remediation. Activated carbon is currently the most widely used method for PFAS treatment since carbon microparticle injection can be used for in-situ treatment; however, this method does not result in PFAS destruction. Thermal treatment is a promising post-treatment method that can be used with activated carbon as long as sufficient PFAS-destroying temperatures are achieved (> 900°C). A promising in-situ thermal treatment technology is …

Hydrogen-Rich Syngas Derived From Smouldering Biomass And Hydrocarbon Wastes, Joshua K. Brown

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In the face of climate change, the world is looking to new fuel sources to meet the surging global energy demand. Hydrogen has been proposed as a promising energy vector being both a net-zero carbon emitter and having one of the highest gravimetric energy densities of known fuels. Production of hydrogen, however, is difficult with many of the technologies which exist today failing to be economically feasible or environmentally sustainable. Smouldering has recently been developed as a cost effective and energy efficient technology for destruction of organic wastes. The unique reaction zones created within a smouldering system have the potential …

Abiotic, Biotic, And Bio-Enhanced Reduction Of Hexavalent Chromium, Chloroform And Co-Contaminants Using Nano-Scale Zero Valent Iron In Highly Contaminated Groundwater, Eduardo Robleto Martinez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Investigations of groundwater in a former industrial perchlorate manufacturing site have shown high contamination with perchlorate, chlorate, nitrate, hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI)), and chloroform (CF) with levels greater than 3,000, 30,000, 300, 100, and 4 mg/L, respectively. Remediation efforts using biological reduction to desired contaminant levels at this site has been challenging due to high contaminant concentrations, and high total dissolved solids (TDS). Furthermore, removal of Cr(VI) and CF in the presence of nitrate, chlorate, and perchlorate has not been examined at the contaminated site. Nano-scale Zero-Valent-Iron (NZVI) has been effective at reducing groundwater contamination both with and without bacterial …

Smouldering Combustion Treatment Of Soils And Granular Activated Carbon Contaminated With Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, Alexandra L. Duchesne

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging contaminants, ubiquitous in the environment, and are challenging to remediate. Self-sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation (STAR) destroys organic contaminants embedded in porous media using smouldering combustion. Self-sustaining smouldering conditions allow the reaction to propagate through the contaminated media without external energy. This study explored STAR as a remediation option for PFAS-impacted granular activated carbon (GAC) and PFAS-contaminated soil. Three smouldering mixtures were used (i) PFAS-spiked GAC and sand, (ii) PFAS-spiked soil and GAC, (iii) PFAS-contaminated field site soil and GAC. Smouldering temperatures were greater than 900˚C, destroying the GAC. Post-treatment PFAS concentrations of …

The Influence Of Porous Media Heterogeneity On Smouldering Remediation, Jiahao Wang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Smouldering remediation is a promising technique for destroying organic contaminants in soil. Forced airflow is vital to supporting the smouldering reaction and to propagate it through the contaminated zone. This research focuses on investigating the effects of permeability heterogeneity on smouldering. A series of unique column experiments, combined with numerical model simulations, were conducted. The results suggest that smouldering can successfully propagate through layers in series despite more than a 1000:1 permeability contrast. However, extinction can occur in the finer layer when smouldering propagates through layers in parallel with a permeability ratio above 3:1. Extinction may occur due to insufficient …

Biointerfacial Studies Of Nitrifying Biofilms On Physically And Chemically Modified Surfaces, Philip Marley Roveto

Civil Engineering ETDs

Interactions between bacteria and surfaces during the initiation of biofilm formation are complex phenomena with significant and wide-ranging implications for nutrient cycling, ecosystem and human health, and the remediation of anthropogenic pollutants. Nitrifying biofilms are currently used for ammonia removal in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) systems. As well-studied biofilms, they can serve as models towards understanding crucial aspects of biofilm engineering. The overall objective of this research was to better understand how variations in specific surface chemistries and topographical features affect nitrification rates and microbial populations in an effort to develop technologies for improved productivity. The experimental approach was to …

Field Trials Of Ex Situ Smouldering Treatment (Starx) Of Oil Sludge, Cody Murray

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Growing environmental concern and regulations around petroleum producing and refining facilities, along with the divesting of legacy properties, have necessitated the need for rapid, high capacity, and cost-effective treatment technologies for remediating these sites and their produced wastes. Self-sustained liquid smouldering – known as STAR technology - has been studied extensively at small scales and has been proven as an effective in situ remediation technique for heavy hydrocarbons. However, STAR as a large-scale ex situ waste disposal method (STARx) has yet to be demonstrated. Here STARx is evaluated for the first time in soil pile configurations, using an engineered base …

Field-Scale Implementation Of Sulfidated Nano Zerovalent Iron For In-Situ Remediation, Ariel Nunez Garcia

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

As far back as the mid-1990s, biogenic sulfidation has been observed during the implementation of iron-based materials for groundwater remediation. This phenomenon has largely been a consequence of natural biogeochemical processes and the prospects of utilizing engineered sulfidated zerovalent iron (ZVI) particles – nano- and/or micro- sized – were not extensively explored. More recently sulfidation of zerovalent iron (ZVI) particles has received considerable attention, highlighting the benefits that engineered/abiotic sulfidation can offer to nZVI, but to date, no field demonstration of the technology has been conducted. The first part of this thesis aims to report the unique challenges and unanswered …

Analysis And Control Of Aluminum Concentration In Groundwater: Mathematical Modelling And Laboratory Study, Daria Popugaeva

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The remediation of metal-contaminated natural water bodies is prioritized due to metals toxicity, non-biodegradable properties, and accumulative behaviours leading to the increased incidence of adverse health effects. Current investigation is driven by the existing problem of elevated aluminum concentrations in the groundwater of Khibiny alkaline massif (Kola Peninsula). The prohibitive aluminum level exceeding the accepted standard of 0.20 mg L⁻¹ is described as a serious health concern when the groundwater used for the local water supply. The results of comprehensive field data analysis based on chemometric methods applied to the available monitoring data including 12 groundwater quality parameters are …

Use Of Functionalized Bimetallic Membranes For Treatment Of Contaminated Groundwater At A Hazardous Waste Site In Kentucky, Lucy C. Pacholik

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Providing access to clean drinking water will continue to be a challenge for civil engineers for generations to come. Since many communities around the world rely on groundwater as a source of drinking water, remediation technologies must be implemented at sites where groundwater contamination exists due to years of mismanagement of hazardous waste. Using nanosized zero-valent metals such as iron and zinc embedded within and on the surface of functionalized (PAA) membrane filters has shown to be an effective dechlorination technique for contaminated groundwater. Introducing a noble metal such as Pd or Ni increases reaction rates by acting a catalyst …

Methods To Improve The Remediation Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Pahs) In Aerobic And Anaerobic Environments, Brian Wartell

Dissertations

Oil spills occur regularly in terrestrial environments and crude oil can contain many compounds that are highly resistant to degradation. Among these compounds are high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are not only toxic but can also be carcinogenic and/or mutagenic. The first chapter of this dissertation includes an extensive review chapter on the variables affecting the anaerobic degradation of hydrocarbons, with a particular focus on PAHs. Electron acceptors, electron donors, temperature, salinity, pH all play key roles in determining the possibility effective of effective degradation occurring. Thus, by addressing solutions, such as biostimulation, improving environmental variables for …

Role Of Zero Valent Iron And Organic Substrates In Chlorinated Solvent Degradation: An Ex-Situ Remediation Case Study, Alexander Stevenson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Field practice suggests that a combination of biotic and abiotic technologies to treat soil impacted by chlorinated solvents positively influences a remediation project’s success rate. Two large remediation programs have used a material containing both zero-valent iron (ZVI) and a dry organic substrate to abiotically reduce contaminants and increase anaerobic bioremediation in soil contaminated with tetrachloroethylene and 1,2-dichloroethylene using ex-situ mixing techniques. This research assesses the contributions made by the dry organic substrate and ZVI to the observed changes in chlorinated solvent concentrations by analyzing field samples collected from the sites previously remediated, as well as conducting bench-scale batch reactor …

An Evaluation Of The Groundwater Microbial Community's Toluene Biogenesis Potential At A Site In Southeast Louisiana, Michael A. Griffin Jr.

LSU Master's Theses

The broad goal of the research described in this thesis was to better understand the potential for biological toluene production to occur in groundwater at a Superfund Site located in southeast Louisiana. Previous literature reported that bacterial isolates under laboratory test conditions and undefined microbial communities in anaerobic sludge digesters and seasonally stratified lakes can produce toluene biogenically. Most of the research reported on this subject previously, however, has been on systems in Europe and little research has been reported previously on such phenomena in North America.

In the research described here, studies were conducted utilizing groundwater from a Superfund …

Bioaccessibility Of Lead From Contaminated Soil Using Phosphate Treatment -- Physiologically Based Extraction Test And In Vitro Gastrointestinal Method Test, Austin Charles Doss

Masters Theses

"Phosphate treatments are used to immobilize lead in soil by forming pyromorphite. Soil from Bonne Terre, Mo was collected to study whether such treatment decreases the bioaccessibility of lead. The soil was treated using 0.5 soil wt% of phosphate. Treatments were: none, phosphoric acid, triple super phosphate, and organic bone meal. Each sample was studied after one, four, sixteen, and twenty weeks; during this time span, water was added approximating the average rainfall rate. Percolated water was collected to test the leached phosphate concentrations. Phosphate was below the detection limit in that leachate. Remediated soil samples were used in Physiologically …

Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography For Mapping In Situ Smouldering Remediation (Star), Lais Muchatte Trento

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Time-lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), a surface geophysical technique, was applied for the first time to monitor the first full-scale application of Self-sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation (STAR) at a coal tar contaminated site. STAR is a self-sustaining smouldering technology that destroys contaminants in situ by combustion, generating heat, water, and combustion gases. ERT is used as a complementary source of information to support conventional temperature and gas concentration data collected during STAR operations. A shallow (2.4 mbgs) and a deep (7.8 mbgs) treatment cell were monitored, with 2D surface resistivity surveys conducted before, during and after treatment. Two 36 …

The Stability Of Uranium-Bearing Precipitates Created As A Result Of Ammonia Gas Injections In The Hanford Site Vadose Zone, Alberto Javier Abarca Betancourt

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Uranium (U) is a crucial contaminant in the Hanford Site. Remediation techniques to prevent contaminant migration of U located in the soils to other important water resources such as the Columbia River are of paramount importance. Given the location of the contaminant in the deep vadose zone, sequestration of U caused by ammonia (NH₃) gas injections appears to be a feasible method to decrease U mobility in the contaminated subsurface via pH manipulation, ultimately converting aqueous U mobile phases to lower solubility precipitates that are stable in the natural environment. This study evaluated the stability of those U-bearing …

Fluid Isolator, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets

The reliability of concrete infrastructure is vital to ensuring daily life, as well as commerce, can progress without interruption. From the pavement of interstate highways to the driveways and sidewalks in a local neighborhood, concrete is expensive to install and often even more expensive, and intrusive, when it needs to be replaced. Unfortunately, to maintain functionality in winter climates concrete is heavily exposed to deicing salts. This not only affects the roads, driveways, and sidewalks where salt is applied directly, but many other areas such as parking and residential garages where vehicles (and people) will track salt along with water …

Bioaccessibility Of Lead From Lead-Contaminated Soil Upon Phosphate Amendment Using A Physiologically-Based Extraction Test, Samantha Jo Dicenso

Masters Theses

"Lead is known to cause health problems in humans, especially children, and an effective in‐situ remediation option has been sought for years. Adding phosphoric acid (PA) to contaminated soil causes a reaction that binds the lead to phosphate to produce pyromorphite (Pb₅(PO₄)₃Cl), a form of lead believed to be non‐bioavailable; however, field trials have given varied results (Bosso et al 2008; Munksgaard and Lottermoser 2011; Tang et al. 2009). One explanation for these results might be the impact of the agent used to raise pH after phosphoric acid addition. In order to examine this explanation soil was collected from the …

Starx Technology For Waste Oil Sludge Treatment Investigated With Numerical Modelling, Rebecca L. Solinger

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Growing stockpiles of industrial liquid waste stored in lagoons are an outstanding problem worldwide. Self-sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation (STAR) is an emerging technology based on smouldering combustion that has been successfully deployed for in situ remediation of field sites (Grant et al., 2016). STAR is currently being developed as an ex situ treatment system (STARx) for industrial wastes by intentionally mixing them with sand. One engineering concept for STARx is the “hotpad”, for which some initial experiments have been conducted. However, a thorough experimental investigation is challenging due to the cost and time associated with each experiment. This work …

Hydraulic And Electrokinetic Delivery Of Remediants For In-Situ Remediation, Ahmed I. A. Chowdhury

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Nano-scale zero valent iron (nZVI) has shown promising mobility and in-situ reactivity with chlorinated volatile organic compounds when injected into saturated porous media. The current study evaluated nZVI mobility and subsequent reactivity with in-situ contaminants in a variably saturated porous media. The nZVI particles, synthesized onsite at subzero temperatures, demonstrated complete trichloroethene (TCE) degradation within the target area. Furthermore, a three dimensional finite difference model (CompSim) was utilized to investigate nZVI mobility in variably saturated zones. Model predicted well head data were in very good agreement with field observations. Simulation results showed that the injected slurry migrated radially outward from …

A Study On The Dissolution Of Autunite Minerals By Facultative Bacteria In Bicarbonate Media, Sandra C. Herrera Landaez

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Uranium (U) is a key contaminant at the Hanford site. The formation of uranyl-phosphate bearing minerals such as autunite as a result of tripoliphosphate injections has been used as a U immobilization strategy. Bacteria are known as key factors governing the fate and transport of soil contaminants. This research evaluated the interaction of facultative bacteria Shewanella Oneidensis MR-1 with autunite mineral in bicarbonate-amended media solutions. The concentration of several elements such as U, calcium (Ca) and phosphorous (P) released as a result of autunite mineral biodissolution were determined as a function of time; changes in cell density and protein assay …

Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria Community Analysis: Isco/Isb Coupled Remediation, Christopher K. Bartlett

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Improved techniques for remediating groundwater systems are required for the more than 500,000 contaminated sites in North America. Many of these sites are the legacy of historical industrial operations, inappropriate disposal practices and accidental releases. The most widely observed contaminant at many of these sites is petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs). Recently, remediation efforts that involve the sequential application of treatment technologies have gained widespread interest. One specific sequential technology application or treatment train employs the aggressive nature of a chemical oxidation followed by bioremediation for polishing. When persulfate is used as the chemical oxidant its natural degradation by-product is sulfate, an …

Smouldering Remediation: Transient Effects Of Front Propagation, Laura L. Kinsman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Remediation of sites contaminated with non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) presents a significant challenge, particularly for complex and high molecular weight compounds such as coal tar and creosote. Self-sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation (STAR) is an innovative remediation technology based on the principles of smouldering combustion, which has shown potential for rapid destruction of source zone contaminants. The success of smouldering remediation has been previously demonstrated both at the laboratory and field scale, however, these studies have focused primarily on the overall degree of remediation. Laboratory column experiments were employed to identify key transient processes that have the potential to influence …

Weak Magnetic Field Accelerates Chromate Removal By Zero-Valent Iron, Pian Feng, Xiaohong Guan, Yuankui Sun, Wonyong Choi, Hejie Qin, Jianmin Wang, Junlian Qiao, Lina Li

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Weak magnetic field (WMF) was employed to improve the removal of Cr(VI) by zero-valent iron (ZVI) for the first time. The removal rate of Cr(VI) was elevated by a factor of 1.12-5.89 due to the application of a WMF, and the WMF-induced improvement was more remarkable at higher Cr(VI) concentration and higher pH. Fe2+ was not detected until Cr(VI) was exhausted, and there was a positive correlation between the WMF-induced promotion factor of Cr(VI) removal rate and that of Fe²⁺ release rate in the absence of Cr(VI) at pH 4.0-5.5. These phenomena imply that ZVI corrosion with Fe^{2+ …}

Electrical Resistivity Tomography For Mapping Subsurface Remediation, Christopher Power

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Cleaning up sites contaminated with dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) remains a challenging geoenvironmental problem. The performance of site remediation methods is difficult to assess without a practical, non-destructive technique to map where and how quickly DNAPL mass is being reduced. The promise of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) in this context has not been realized, in part because traditional ERT methods were used to solve the near-impossible problem of mapping the initial DNAPL outline. However, new developments in ERT have emerged that focus on resolving subsurface changes over time. The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of …

Development Of Novel Bioelectrochemical Systems For In Situ Nitrate Removal From Groundwater, Yiran Tong

Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to develop new approaches for in situ nitrate removal from groundwater by using bioelectrochemical systems (BES). BESs employ bioelectricity generated from organic compounds to drive nitrate moving from groundwater into the electrode chamber and reduce nitrate to nitrogen gas by heterotrophic denitrification. In first phase experiments, nitrate ions were driven into the anode chamber of a de-coupled reactor, whose electrode chambers were separated, where heterotrophic denitrification took place with organic reduction. It was proved that by applying additional electrical potential at 0.8V, the reactor could achieve highest removal rate of 208.2±13.3 g NO3--N/m3/d, when initial nitrate concentration …

Remediation Of Contaminated Soil: Second Annual International Environmental Design Contest For Universities, Jeffrey Doolittle, Irvine W. Wei

Irvine W. Wei

No abstract provided.