In-situ remediation of contaminated heterogeneous soils
First Claim
1. A process for the in-situ remediation of a contaminated heterogeneous soil region comprising:
- (a) introducing material for treating contaminants in said contaminated heterogeneous soil region selected from the group consisting of microorganisms, nutrients, electron acceptors, catalysts, adsorbents, surfactants, electron donors, co-metabolites, chelating agents, ion exchange resins, buffers, salts and combinations thereof, into at least one liquid permeable region within said contaminated heterogeneous soil region to form at least one treating zone within said contaminated heterogeneous soil region,(b) transmitting direct electric current through at least one low permeability soil region within said contaminated heterogeneous soil region between a first electrode and a second electrode having opposite charge, wherein (i) said first electrode is located at a first end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region and said second electrode is located at the opposite end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region or (ii) said first electrode is located at a first end of each of said low permeability soil regions and said second electrode is located at the opposite end of each of said low permeability soil regions, (1) to cause an electroosmotic flow from said second electrode to said first electrode, (2) to cause an electromigratory movement of ionic contaminants in a direction toward the electrode of opposite charge, or (3) to cause an electroosmotic flow from said second electrode to said first electrode and an electromigratory movement of ionic contaminants in a direction toward the electrode of opposite charge, and(c) applying a hydraulic gradient across said contaminated heterogeneous soil region to cause a hydraulic flow from the high pressure end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region to the low pressure end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region.
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Abstract
A process for the in-situ remediation of a contaminated heterogeneous soil region comprising: (a) introducing material for treating contaminants in a contaminated heterogeneous soil region into at least one liquid permeable region within the contaminated heterogeneous soil region to form at least one treating zone within the contaminated heterogeneous soil region, (b) transmitting direct electric current through at least one low permeability soil region within the contaminated heterogeneous soil region between a first electrode and a second electrode having opposite charge, wherein (i) the first electrode is located at a first end of the contaminated heterogeneous soil region and the second electrode is located at the opposite end of the contaminated heterogeneous soil region or (ii) the first electrode is located at a first end of each of the low permeability soil regions and the second electrode is located at the opposite end of each of the low permeability soil regions, (1) to cause an electroosmotic flow from the second electrode to the first electrode, (2) to cause an electromigratory movement of ionic contaminants in a direction toward the electrode of opposite charge, or (3) to cause an electroosmotic flow from the second electrode to the first electrode and an electromigratory movement of ionic contaminants in a direction toward the electrode of opposite charge, and (c) applying a hydraulic gradient across the contaminated heterogeneous soil region to cause a hydraulic flow from the high pressure end of the contaminated heterogeneous soil region to the low pressure end of the contaminated heterogeneous soil region.
68 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A process for the in-situ remediation of a contaminated heterogeneous soil region comprising:
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(a) introducing material for treating contaminants in said contaminated heterogeneous soil region selected from the group consisting of microorganisms, nutrients, electron acceptors, catalysts, adsorbents, surfactants, electron donors, co-metabolites, chelating agents, ion exchange resins, buffers, salts and combinations thereof, into at least one liquid permeable region within said contaminated heterogeneous soil region to form at least one treating zone within said contaminated heterogeneous soil region, (b) transmitting direct electric current through at least one low permeability soil region within said contaminated heterogeneous soil region between a first electrode and a second electrode having opposite charge, wherein (i) said first electrode is located at a first end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region and said second electrode is located at the opposite end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region or (ii) said first electrode is located at a first end of each of said low permeability soil regions and said second electrode is located at the opposite end of each of said low permeability soil regions, (1) to cause an electroosmotic flow from said second electrode to said first electrode, (2) to cause an electromigratory movement of ionic contaminants in a direction toward the electrode of opposite charge, or (3) to cause an electroosmotic flow from said second electrode to said first electrode and an electromigratory movement of ionic contaminants in a direction toward the electrode of opposite charge, and (c) applying a hydraulic gradient across said contaminated heterogeneous soil region to cause a hydraulic flow from the high pressure end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region to the low pressure end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 32)
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23. A process for the in-situ remediation of a contaminated heterogeneous soil region comprising:
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(a) forming at least one liquid permeable region within said contaminated heterogeneous soil region, (b) introducing material for treating contaminants in said contaminated heterogeneous soil region selected from the group consisting of microorganisms, nutrients, electron acceptors, catalysts, adsorbents, surfactants, electron donors, co-metabolites, chelating agents, ion exchange resins, buffers, salts and combinations thereof, into said liquid permeable regions within said contaminated heterogeneous soil region to form at least one treating zone within said contaminated heterogeneous soil region, (c) transmitting direct electric current through at least one low permeability soil region within said contaminated heterogeneous soil region between a first electrode and a second electrode having opposite charge, wherein (i) said first electrode is located at a first end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region and said second electrode is located at the opposite end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region or (ii) said first electrode is located at a first end of each of said low permeability soil regions and said second electrode is located at the opposite end of each of said low permeability soil regions, (1) to cause an electroosmotic flow from said second electrode to said first electrode, (2) to cause an electromigratory movement of ionic contaminants in a direction toward the electrode of opposite charge, or (3) to cause an electroosmotic flow from said second electrode to said first electrode and an electromigratory movement of ionic contaminants in a direction toward the electrode of opposite charge, and (d) applying a hydraulic gradient across said contaminated heterogeneous soil region to cause a hydraulic flow from the high pressure end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region to the low pressure end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A process for the in-situ remediation of a contaminated heterogeneous soil region comprising:
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(a) introducing material for treating contaminants in said contaminated heterogeneous soil regions selected from the group consisting of microorganisms, nutrients, electron acceptors, catalysts, adsorbents, surfactants, electron donors, co-metabolites, chelating agents, ion exchange resins, buffers, salts and combinations thereof, into at least one liquid permeable region within said contaminated heterogeneous soil region to form at least one treating zone within said contaminated heterogeneous soil region, (b) transmitting direct electric current through at least one low permeability soil region within said contaminated heterogeneous soil region between a first electrode and a second electrode having opposite charge, wherein (i) said first electrode is located at a first end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region and said second electrode is located at the opposite end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region or (ii) said first electrode is located at a first end of each of said low permeability soil regions and said second electrode is located at the opposite end of each of said low permeability soil regions, (1) to cause an electroosmotic flow from said second electrode to said first electrode, (2) to cause an electromigratory movement of ionic contaminants in a direction toward the electrode of opposite charge, or (3) to cause an electroosmotic flow from said second electrode to said first electrode and an electromigratory movement of ionic contaminants in a direction toward the electrode of opposite charge, (c) (1) periodically reversing the polarity of said first and second electrodes to reverse the direction of movement of said contaminants through said treating zones, (2) recycling water from said electroosmotic flow from said first electrode to said second electrode, or (3) periodically reversing the polarity of said first and second electrodes to reverse the direction of movement of said contaminants through said treating zones and recycling water from said electroosmotic flow in the direction opposite said electroosmotic flow, and (d) applying a hydraulic gradient across said contaminated heterogeneous soil region to cause a hydraulic flow from the high pressure end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region to the low pressure end of said contaminated heterogeneous soil region. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification