Density modification displacement to remediate contaminated aquifers
First Claim
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1. A method for remediation of an aquifer contaminated by a non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) including a dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) comprising the steps of:
- a. modifying the density of the DNAPL by flushing the aquifer with an alcohol the flushing of the aquifer with the alcohol serving to partition the alcohol into the NAPL phase resulting in a NAPL phase which is less than water; and
b. displacing the NAPL by flushing the aquifer with a surfactant.
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Abstract
A method for groundwater remediation of DNALP-contaminated aquifers comprising the steps of modifying the density of the DNALP with alcohol and displacing the NAPL by surfactant flushing.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for remediation of an aquifer contaminated by a non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) including a dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) comprising the steps of:
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a. modifying the density of the DNAPL by flushing the aquifer with an alcohol the flushing of the aquifer with the alcohol serving to partition the alcohol into the NAPL phase resulting in a NAPL phase which is less than water; and b. displacing the NAPL by flushing the aquifer with a surfactant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A composition for density modification displacement of a DNAPL contaminated aquifer including porous media comprising:
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a. an alcohol capable of partitioning at least a portion of the DNAPL into LNAPL; and b. a surfactant capable of displacing the LNAPL from the porous media the surfactant being selected from the group consisting of surfactant which reduce the inner facial tension between the NAPL and the aqueous phase to below about 1.0 dyne/cm.
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8. A method for remediation of a contamination zone of an aquifer formation, the contamination zone including a porous medium contaminated by a non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) at least a portion of which is a dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL), the method for remediation comprising the steps of:
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a. reducing the density of the DNAPL in the contamination zone by flushing the zone with an alcohol solution resulting in a NAPL phase that is less dense than water (LNAPL); and b. displacing the LNAPL by flushing the contamination zone with a surfactant formulation, the surfactant formulation modifying the interfacial tension between the LNAPL and the surfactant formulation such that the LNAPL is capable of displacement through the porous medium. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification