Subsurface Injection of Treated Sewage into a Saline-Water Aquifer at St. Petersburg, Florida —Aquifer Pressure Buildup

The city of St. Petersburg has been testing subsurface injection of treated sewage into the Floridan aquifer as a means of eliminating discharge of sewage to surface waters and as a means of storing treated sewage for future non-potable reuse. The injection zone originally contained native saline ground water that was similar in composition to sea water. The zone has a transmissivity of about 1.2 X 10⁶ feet squared per day (ft2/d) and is within the lower part of the Floridan aquifer. Treated sewage that had a mean chloride concentration of 170 milligrams per liter (mg/1) was injected through a single well for 12 months at a mean rate of 4.7 X 105 cubic feet per day (ft3/d). The volume of water injected during the year was 1.7 X 10⁸ cubic feet. Pressure buildup at the end of one year ranged from less than 0.1 to as much as 2.4 pounds per square inch (lb/in2) in observation wells at the site. Pressure buildup in wells open to the upper part of the injection zone was related to buoyant lift acting on the mixed water in the injection zone in addition to subsurface injection through the injection well. Calculations of the vertical component of pore velocity in the semiconfining bed underlying the shallowest permeable zone of the Floridan aquifer indicate upward movement of native water. This is consistent with the 200- to 600-mg/l increase in chloride concentration observed in water from the shallowest permeable zone during the test.     

Isotopes and geochemistry in a managed aquifer recharge scheme: a case study of fresh water injection at the Damascus University Campus,Syria

A combination of stable isotopes (¹⁸O and ²H) and hydrochemistry has been applied to investigate storage processes in relation to aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) of the shallow alluvial Quaternary aquifer in Damascus basin. The stored water, entirely taken from the Figeh springs during flood periods, was injected in a single well having a brackish groundwater. Water samples were collected from four observation wells drilled in the Damascus University Campus (DUC) site during a 3‐year period (2006–2008). The injectant water, which deviates in its chemical and isotopic signatures from that of the ambient groundwater, shows that the stored water plume remains within close proximity to the injection well (IW) (<≈ 100 m). Thus, only two wells (W13 and W14) located at a distance less than 80 m from the injection point were affected by this injection. The observation wells located at longer distances from the IW (≈145 m and ≈ 600 m for wells W15 and WHz, respectively) were completely unaffected by the injection. Although most of the chemical and isotopic parameters usefully reflected the mixing process that occurs between the injectant water and ambient groundwater, the stable isotope (¹⁸O) and chloride (Cl⁻) were the most sensitive parameters that quickly reflect this signature. Using a simple mass balance, the calculated proportion of injectant water reaching the well W13 was in the range of 50–90%. This proportion was even lower (30–55%) in the case of well W14. Although the drought event prevailing during this study did not much help to inject further amounts of water, higher than the injected volume (0·2416 M m³) and also not favourable to better evaluate the fate and subsurface hydrological processes, these findings offer encouragement to continue the ASR activities, as an alternative way for better management of water resources in this basin facing intensive problems. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Hydraulic Effects of Lost Circulation and the Implications for Contaminant Migration During Drilling

The impact of lost circulation during rotary drilling near an existing monitoring well cluster was evaluated by periodic measurements of water levels and contaminant concentrations at the well cluster. Due to regulatory concerns, changes in water levels or VOC concentration in the well cluster during drilling would trigger monitoring well redevelopment. The borehole was drilled approximately 30 feet northeast of four nested monitoring wells that screen Devonian and Silurian carbonate bedrock at depths of 15, 60, 130, and 190 feet. Following complete circulation loss at depths of 177 and 1 S3 feet in the borehole, a rapid decrease in water levels was observed in the upper three monitoring wells. The water level in the well that was screened through the lost circulation zones increased slightly.
Decreasing water levels in formations located above the point of circulation loss appear to occur in response to a sudden decrease in borehole fluid pressure caused by the flow of drilling fluid into the formation. The relative contribution of contaminated formation water lo the borehole can be estimated by using the time-drawdown relationship and estimates of transmissivity. At the point of circulation loss, significant dilution of contaminant concentrations occurs from the loss of drilling fluid into the contaminated zone. Contaminated formation water entering the borehole during periods of complete lost circulation may mobilize contaminants from upper lo lower formations. Lost circulation into a formation would be signaled by a water level increase in monitoring wells. The wells would subsequently require development to remove the volume of fluid lost to the formation, including both drilling fluid and contaminated formation water. Monitoring wells exhibiting declining water levels following lost circulation would not require development since drilling water has not entered the zones screened by these wells.     

Chemical and isotopic prediction of aquifer temperatures in the geothermal system at Long Valley, California

Temperatures of aquifers feeding thermal springs and wells in Long Valley, California, estimated using silica and Na-K-Ca geothermometers and warm spring mixing models, range from 160/dg to about 220°C. This information was used to construct a diagram showing enthalpy-chloride relations for the various thermal waters in the Long Valley region. The enthalpy-chloride information suggests that a 282 ± 10°C aquifer with water containing about 375 mg chloride per kilogram of water is present somewhere deep in the system. That deep water would be related to 220°C Casa Diablo water by mixing with cold water, and to Hot Creek water by first boiling with steam loss and then mixing with cold water. Oxygen and deuterium isotopic data are consistent with that interpretation. An aquifer at 282°C with 375 mg/kg chloride implies a convective heat flow in Long Valley of 6.6 × 10⁷ cal/s.     

Thermal Treatment of Eight CVOC Source Zones to Near Nondetect Concentrations

In situ thermal desorption (ISTD) was used for the treatment of eight separate source zones containing chlorinated solvents in a tight loess (silt/clay) above the water table. The source areas were as much as 365 m (1200 feet) apart. A target volume of 38,200 m³ (49,950 cubic yards) of subsurface material to a depth of 9.1 m (30 feet) was treated in a period of 177 days. Energy was delivered through 367 thermal conduction heater borings, and vapors were extracted from 68 vertical vacuum wells. A vapor extraction and capture system, including a surface cover and vertical vacuum wells next to heater borings, provided for effective pneumatic control and capture of the chlorinated volatile organic compound (CVOC) vapors. A central treatment system, based on condensation and granular activated carbon filtration, was used to treat the vapors. Approximately 5675 kg (12,500 pounds) of contaminants was recovered in the extracted vapors. Forty-seven soil samples were used to document remedial performance. Based on these, the concentrations of the target contaminants were reduced to below the target remedial goals in all eight areas, typically with concentrations below 0.01 mg/kg in locations that had had CVOC concentrations higher than 1000 mg/kg. Turn-key costs for the thermal remediation were $3.9 million, and the unit treatment cost, including all utilities, was $103 per cubic meter treated ($79 per cubic yard).     

Hydrogeochemistry,contaminant transport and tectonic effects in the Okposi-Uburu salt lake area of Imo State,Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Hydrogeochemical data of groundwater samples from 35 boreholes drilled in the Okposi-Uburu salt lake area are analysed. The data reveal that concentrations of dissolved geochemical constituents such as calcium (Ca²⁺), manganese (Mn²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), chloride (C1^?), and sulphate (SO²⁺ ₄) ions show significant areal variations. Dissolved solids, chloride and manganese ions have concentrations up to and above the objectionable limits for drinking water in the salt lake area. Concentrations of dissolved solids in this zone are about 1200 mg 1^?1. Concentrations of chloride and manganese ions are 350 mg 1^?1 and 1.0 mg 1^?1 respectively. These geochemical constituents and groundwater flow patterns show that transport of contaminants away from the source zone has been greatly influenced by advection, while in areas of high velocity dispersion is the controlling factor. Temperatures for the Okposi and Uburu salt springs are 34.4 and 37.5°C respectively. Bomb tritium indicated water of pre-1953 age. Deuterium and oxygen-18 showed high isotopic enrichment. The high concentrations of dissolved salts resulted from the combined effects of migration of dissolved salts through fractures at the lake floor and evaporation from the lake surface. These findings are related to the tectonic history of the Okposi-Uburu area.     

Field Testing the Hypothesis of Darcian Flow Through a Carbonate Aquifer

The acceptability of the hypothesis of Darcian flow through a semiconfined carbonate aquifer was tested prior to running a multiple-day aquifer test in Pinellas County, Florida. The approach used to test the hypothesis was to run a number of hour-long aquifer tests at different discharges with drawdown measured at the same time during each test in two observation wells, one at 35 feet and the other at 733 feet from the pumped well. If the hypothesis were acceptable, a plot of drawdown versus discharge should describe a straight line. A linear relation was described in 15-minute and 1-hour data plots of drawdown versus discharge for both observation wells. Thus, the hypothesis of Darcian flow through the semiconfined carbonate aquifer was deemed acceptable. Drawdown data from the distant observation well collected during the following multiple-day aquifer test were then analyzed for aquifer-property values of transmissivity, storage coefficient, and leakance coefficient using standard methods. Discharge for the multiple-day test was within the discharge range of the hour-long tests.     

Use of Magnet Technology for Phosphate Elimination from Municipal Sewage

The present report describes the set-up and first operation results of a novel carousel magnetic separator. This carousel magnetic separator is suitable for continuous separation of magnetized particles from water. Continuous operation is achieved by a segmented rotating separation matrix. This matrix also allows the use of low-cost permanent magnets, by means of which magnetic fields of up to 0.5 T can be generated without energy consumption. The suitability of a first prototype of this carousel magnetic separator was tested for elimination of magnetite-containing iron phosphate and iron hydroxide flocs. These flocs result from conventional precipitation/flocculation of municipal sewage with FeCl₃ and the addition of magnetite particles generated by wet-chemical processes. First results demonstrate that the carousel magnetic separator can reduce phosphate concentrations of up to 14 mg/L PO₄^3–-P in the inlet to below 1 mg/L PO₄^3–-P in the outlet at filtration rates of about 40 m/h. Magnetite dosage in the range of 50 mg/L affects phosphate precipitation positively via a slight reduction of the precipitant volume. However, the total amount of chemicals required for phosphate elimination is increased by the substances needed for magnetite production. Therefore, a further reduction of magnetite dosage must be achieved.     

Creation of a Subsurface Permeable Treatment Zone for Aqueous Chromate Contamination Using In Situ Redox Manipulation

An in situ redox manipulation (ISRM) method for creating a permeable treatment zone in the subsurface has been developed at the laboratory bench and intermediate scales and deployed at the field scale for reduction/immobilization of chrornate contamination. At other sites, the same redox technology is currently being tested for dechlorination of TCE. The reduced zone is created by injected reagents that reduce iron naturally present in the aquifer sediments from Fe(III) to surface-bound and structural Fe(II) species. Standard ground water wells are used, allowing treatment of contaminants too deep below the ground surface for conventional treneh-and-fill technologies.
A proof-of-principle field experiment was conducted in September 1995 at a chromate (hexavalent chromium) contaminated ground water site on the Hartford Site in Washington. The test created a 15 m (˜50 feet) diameter cylindrical treatment zone. The three phases of the test consisted of (1) injection of 77, 000 L (20, 500 gallons) of buffered sodium dithionite solution in 17.1 hours, (2) reaction for 18.5 hours, and (3) withdrawal of 375, 000 L (99, 600 gallons) in 83 hours. The withdrawal phase recovered 87% to 90% of the reaction products. Analysis of post-experimental sediment cores indicated that 60% to 100% of the available reactive iron in the treated zone was reduced. The longevity of the reduced zone is estimated between seven and 12 years based on the post-experiment core samples. Three and half years after the field test, the treatment zone remains anoxic, and hexavalent chromium levels have been reduced from 0.060 mg/L to below detection limits (0.008 mg/L). Additionally, no significant permeability changes have been detected during any phase of the experiment.     

Mobility of major ions and nutrients in the unsaturated zone during paddy cultivation: a field study and solute transport modelling approach

Study of the movement of water and solute within soil profiles is important for a number of reasons. Accumulation of prominent contaminants from agricultural chemicals in the unsaturated zone over the years is a major concern in many parts of the world. As a result, the unsaturated zone has been a subject of great research interest during the past decade. Hence, an intensive field study was conducted in a part of Palar and Cheyyar river basins to understand the variation of major ions and nutrients in the soil zone during paddy cultivation. The chloride and nitrate data were used to model the movement of these chemicals in the unsaturated zone using the HYDRUS‐2D model. The field study shows that fertilizer application and irrigation return flow increases the major ions and nutrients concentration in the unsaturated zone. Further, the nutrient concentrations are regulated by plant uptake, fertilizer application and infiltration rate. Additionally, denitrification and soil mineralization processes also regulate the nitrogen concentration in the unsaturated zone. The solute transport modelling study concluded that the simulated results match reasonably with the observed trends. Simulated concentrations of chloride and nitrate for a 5‐year period indicate that the concentrations of these ions fluctuate in a cyclic manner (from 60 to 68 mg l^?1 and from 3·4 to 3·5 mg l^?1 respectively in groundwater) with no upward and downward trend. The influence of excessive fertilizer application on groundwater was also modelled. The model predicts an increase of about 17 mg l^?1 of chloride and 2·3 mg l^?1 of nitrogen in the groundwater of this area when the application of fertilizers is doubled. The model indicates that the present level of use of agrochemicals is no threat to the groundwater quality. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

222Rn as Natural Tracer for LNAPL Recovery in a Crude Oil‐Contaminated Aquifer

The objective of this study was to investigate whether ²²²Rn in groundwater can be used as a tracer for light non‐aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) quantification at a field site treated by dual‐phase LNAPL removal. After the break of a pipeline, 5 ha of soil in the nature reserve Coussouls de Crau in southern France was contaminated by 5100 m³ of crude oil. Part of this oil seeped into the underlying gravel aquifer and formed a floating oil body of about 3.9 ha. The remediation consists of plume management by hydraulic groundwater barriers and LNAPL extraction in the source zone. ²²²Rn measurements were performed in 21 wells in and outside the source zone during 15 months. In uncontaminated groundwater, the radon activity was relatively constant and remained always >11 Bq/L. The variability of radon activity measurements in wells affected by the pump‐and‐skim system was consistent with the measurements in wells that were not impacted by the system. The mean activities in wells in the source zone were, in general, significantly lower than in wells upgradient of the source zone, owing to partitioning of ²²²Rn into the oil phase. The lowest activities were found in zones with high non‐aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) recovery. LNAPL saturations around each recovery well were furthermore calculated during a period of high groundwater level, using a laboratory‐determined crude oil–water partitioning coefficient of 38.5 ± 2.9. This yielded an estimated volume of residual crude oil of 309 ± 93 m³ below the capillary fringe. We find that ²²²Rn is a useful and cheap groundwater tracer for finding zones of good LNAPL recovery in an aquifer treated by dual‐phase LNAPL removal, but that quantification of NAPL saturation using Rn is highly uncertain.     

Chemical and isotopic methods for management of artificial recharge in Mazraha Station (Damascus Basin,Syria)

Artificially enhancing recharge rate into groundwater aquifer at specially designed facilities is an attractive option for increasing the storage capacity of potable water in arid and semi‐arid region such as Damascus basin (Syria). Two dug wells (I and II) for water injection and 24 wells for water extraction are available in Mazraha station for artificial recharge experiment. Chemical and stable isotopes (δ²H and δ¹⁸O) were used to evaluate artificial recharge efficiency. 400 to 500*10³ m³ of spring water were injected annually into the ambient shallow groundwater in Mazraha station, which is used later for drinking purpose. Ambient groundwater and injected spring water are calcium bicarbonate type with EC about 880 ± 60 μS/cm and 300 ± 50 μS/cm, respectively. The injected water is under saturated versus calcite and the ambient groundwater is over saturated, while the recovered water is near equilibrium. It was observed that the injection process formed a chemical dilution plume that improves the groundwater quality. Results demonstrate that the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer is estimated around 6.8*10^?4 m/s. The effective diameter of artificial recharge is limited to about 250 m from the injection wells. Mixing rate of 30% is required in order to reduce nitrate concentration below 50 mg/l which is considered the maximum concentration limit for potable water. Deuterium and oxygen‐18 relationship demonstrates that mixing line between injected water and ambient groundwater has a slope of 6.1. Oxygen‐18 and Cl^? plot indicates that groundwater salinity origin is from mixing process, and no dissolution and evaporation were observed. These results demonstrate the efficiency of the artificial recharge experiments to restore groundwater storage capacity and to improve the water quality. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Progressive Packer/Zone Sampling Method for VOC Plume Delineation in Consolidated Aquifers

The progressive packer/zone sampling method was used to identify the bottom of a plume of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the parts-per-million (ppm) range using one well in each of three separate locations. The method involves progressively drilling a 20-foot length of borehole through casing, setting an inflatable packer at the top of the drilled zone, purging the zone of three volumes of water using the airlift method, sampling the zone in situ through the packer string using a bailer, then repeating the procedure.
A plume consisting of chlorinated VOCs, alcohols, and vinyl chloride occurs in a low-yielding fractured bedrock aquifer located in the Passaic Formation at a site in central New Jersey. The thickness of the plume in total VOC concentrations exceeding 1 ppm was determined using the progressive packer/zone sampling method to a depth of 200 feet. The first borehole was completed as a monitoring well in the "hottest" zone encountered during testing. Additional wells were then clustered with this exploratory well to delineate the plume in the parts-per-billion (ppb) range. Cross contamination from previously sampled zones was not a problem as long as total VOCs in the ppm range were targeted and the sample interval was properly purged.
Instead of using a multiple well cluster consisting of an indefinite number of wells to determine the bulk thickness of a plume at a specific location, information from one borehole may suffice during the exploratory phase. Costs to the client and cross contamination potential to the aquifer can be minimized by limiting the number of boreholes needed for vertical delineation.     

Contribution to the oxygen input in a treated sewage channel by falls

Summary: In the control of the discharge of a large-scale sewage treatment being under enlargement it was repeatedly pointed out that the oxygen saturation of the water in the treated sewage channel at the mouth of the main water occasionally was much lower than 50 %, contrary to the demands of the public inspection of waters. The results of the oxygen input capacity investigated by oxygen measurements on the falls of the 17.5 km stretch of flow indicate a total of 2.67 t/d. For lack of information on the diffusing and biogenic oxygen input an oriented balance about the budget of the water in the treated sewage channel was made. From the resulting oxygen depletion of the sediment of only 1.8 t/d as well as from energy-related considerations concerning the oxygen input by falls, technical alterations and arrangements for the protection and improvement of the water in the treated sewage channel were derived. By this it is guaranteed that the oxygen content of the treated channel-water at the mouth of the main water does not decrease below 6.0 mg/l also during the daily periods of higher discharges of treated sewage waters.     

Field Tracer Test for the Design of LNAPL Source Zone Surfactant Flushing

A field tracer test was carried out in a light nonaqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) source zone using a well pattern consisting of one injection well surrounded by four extraction wells (5‐spot well pattern). Multilevel sampling was carried out in two observation wells located inside the test cell characterized by heterogeneous lithology. Tracer breakthrough curves showed relatively uniform flow within soil layers. A numerical flow and solute transport model was calibrated on hydraulic heads and tracer breakthrough curves. The model was used to estimate an average accessible porosity of 0.115 for the swept zone and an average longitudinal dispersivity of 0.55 m. The model was further used to optimize the relative effects of viscous forces versus capillary forces under realistic imposed hydraulic gradients and to establish optimal surfactant solution properties. Maximum capillary number (N_Ca) values between injection and extraction wells were obtained for an injection flow rate of 16 L/min, a total extraction flow rate of 20 L/min, and a surfactant solution with a viscosity of 0.005 Pa?s. The unconfined nature of the aquifer limited further flow rate or viscosity increases that would have led to unrealistic hydraulic gradients. An N_Ca range of 3.8 × 10^?4 to 7.6 × 10^?3 was obtained depending on the magnitude of the simulated LNAPL‐water interfacial tension reduction. Finally, surfactant and chase water slug sizing was optimized with a radial form of the simplified Ogata‐Banks analytical solution (Ogata and Banks 1961) so that injected concentrations could be maintained in the entire 5‐spot cell.     

Using Na/K Ratios to Identify the Potential Impacts of Sewage Effluent on Groundwater Quality in Sohag,Egypt

Improper disposal of wastewater is an important source of groundwater contamination, as it poses serious threats to the environment and human health. In this case study, 18 groundwater and 3 sewage effluent samples were collected from the area adjacent to a wastewater treatment plant in Sohag, Egypt. These samples were subjected to detailed chemical and bacteriological analyses to quantify the potential impact of sewage effluent on the groundwater quality using geochemical indicators. The groundwater aquifer in the study area is represented by the highly permeable Qena Sands that are composed of sands and gravels. The bacteriological analyses indicated the presence of fecal coliform in groundwater at wells nearby the wastewater ponds and farm lands. NH₄ concentration of the contaminated groundwater samples ranged from 0.36 to 5.70 mg/L (78% of the samples > 1.20 mg/L) and the NH₄ in the non‐impacted samples ranged from 0.40 to 2.23 mg/L (22% > 1.20 mg/L). Variations in NH₄ concentrations are due to the transformation processes occurring in the aquifer. The groundwater samples were categorized based on the Na/K ratio into two classes. The first class shows the Na/K ratios vary from 2.52 to 12.19 for sewage effluent and contaminated samples, while in the second class they range from 12.85 to 31.60 for non‐impacted samples. As a result, the Na/K ratio in combination with other chemical and microbiological indicators is a useful screening tool for assessing possible sewage influence on shallow groundwater from shallow wells.     

Response Surface Optimization of Acid Red 119 Dye Adsorption by Mixtures of Dried Sewage Sludge and Sewage Sludge Ash

The mixtures of dried sewage sludge (DSS) and sewage sludge ash were studied for removal of acid red 119 (AR119) dye as a new, more environmental friendly, and low cost adsorbent. For this purpose, response surface methodology was applied to optimize the dye removal efficiency and turbidity of treated dye solutions as two individual responses. Results revealed that an optimum condition under specified constraints (dye removal efficiency >95% and turbidity <50 NTU) was obtained at a contact time of 60 min, 40 wt% DSS in the mixture, an initial pH of 6, and an initial dye concentration of 200 mg dye/L in distilled water. Under the optimal condition, dye removal efficiency of 94.98% and effluent turbidity of 24.9 NTU was observed. In further studies, at optimum condition, the effect of some additives on adsorption process and desorption/reusability of adsorbent was investigated. It was observed that removal efficiency was significantly decreased to 83.76% when a simulated dye wastewater (containing the selected dye, acetic acid, and Glauber's salt dissolved in tap water) was used. Desorption studies revealed that AR119 dye could be well removed from dye‐loaded adsorbent by 0.3 M NaOH solution.     

Geologic controls on the chemical behaviour of nitrate in riverside alluvial aquifers,Korea

To investigate the origin and behaviour of nitrate in alluvial aquifers adjacent to Nakdong River, Korea, we chose two representative sites (Wolha and Yongdang) having similar land‐use characteristics but different geology. A total of 96 shallow groundwater samples were collected from irrigation and domestic wells tapping alluvial aquifers. About 63% of the samples analysed had nitrate concentrations that exceeded the Korean drinking water limit (44·3 mg l^?1 NO₃^?), and about 35% of the samples had nitrate concentrations that exceeded the Korean groundwater quality standard for agricultural use (88·6 mg l^?1 NO₃^?). Based on nitrogen isotope analysis, two major nitrate sources were identified: synthetic fertilizer (about 4‰ δ¹⁵N) applied to farmland, and animal manure and sewage (15–20‰ δ¹⁵N) originating from upstream residential areas. Shallow groundwater in the farmland generally had higher nitrate concentrations than those in residential areas, due to the influence of synthetic fertilizer. Nitrate concentrations at both study sites were highest near the water table and then progressively decreased with depth. Nitrate concentrations are also closely related to the geologic characteristics of the aquifer. In Yongdang, denitrification is important in regulating nitrate chemistry because of the availability of organic carbon from a silt layer (about 20 m thick) below a thin, sandy surface aquifer. In Wolha, however, conservative mixing between farmland‐recharged water and water coming from a village is suggested as the dominant process. Mixing ratios estimated based on the nitrate concentrations and the δ¹⁵N values indicate that water originating from the village affects the nitrate chemistry of the shallow groundwater underneath the farmland to a large extent. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Field Demonstration of the Horizontal Treatment Well (HRX Well®) for Passive In Situ Remediation

The horizontal reactive media treatment well (HRX Well®) uses directionally drilled horizontal wells filled with a treatment media to induce flow-focusing behavior created by the well-to-aquifer permeability contrast to passively capture proportionally large volumes of groundwater. Groundwater is treated in situ as it flows through the HRX Well and downgradient portions of the aquifer are cleaned via elution as these zones are flushed with clean water discharging from the HRX Well. The HRX Well concept is particularly well suited for sites where long-term mass discharge control is a primary performance objective. This concept is appropriate for recalcitrant and difficult-to-treat constituents, including chlorinated solvents, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), 1,4-dioxane, and metals. A full-scale HRX Well was installed and operated to treat trichloroethene (TCE) with zero valent iron (ZVI). The model-predicted enhanced flow through the HRX Well (compared to the flow in and equivalent cross-sectional area orthogonal to flow in the natural formation before HRX Well installation) and treatment zone width was consistent with flows and widths estimated independently by point velocity probe (PVP) testing, HRX Well tracer testing, and observed treatment in downgradient monitoring wells. The actual average capture zone width was estimated to be between 45 and 69 feet. Total TCE mass discharge reduction was maintained through the duration of the performance monitoring period and exceeded 99.99% (%). Decreases in TCE concentrations were observed at all four downgradient monitoring wells within the treatment zone (ranging from 50 to 74% at day 436), and the first arrival of treated water was consistent with model predictions. The field demonstration confirmed the HRX Well technology is best suited for long-term mass discharge control, can be installed under active infrastructure, requires limited ongoing operation and maintenance, and has low life cycle energy and water requirements.     

Investigation of groundwater residence times during bank filtration in Berlin: a multi‐tracer approach

Berlin relies on induced bank filtration from a broad‐scale, lake‐type surface water system. Because the surface water contains treated sewage, wastewater residues are present in surface water and groundwater. Multiple environmental tracers, including tritium and helium isotopes (³H, ³He, ⁴He), stable isotopes (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) and a number of persistent sewage indicators, such as chloride, boron and a selection of pharmaceutical residues (phenazone‐type analgesics and their metabolites, carbamazepine and anthropogenic gadolinium, Gd_excess), were used to estimate travel times from the surface water to individual production and observation wells at two sites. The study revealed a strong vertical age stratification throughout the upper aquifer, with travel times varying from a few months to several decades in greater depth. Whereas the shallow bank filtrate is characterized by the reflection of the time‐variant tracer input concentrations and young ³H/³He ages, the deeper, older bank filtrate displays no tracer seasonality, ³H/³He ages of a few years to decades and strongly deviating concentrations of several pharmaceutical residues, reflecting concentrations of the source surface water over time. The phenazone‐type pharmaceuticals persist in the aquatic environments for decades. Bank filtration in Berlin is only possible at the sandy lakeshores. In greater water depth, impermeable lacustrine sapropels inhibit infiltration. The young bank filtrate originates from the nearest shore, whereas the older bank filtrate infiltrates at more distant shores. This paper illustrates the importance of using multiple tracer methods, capable of resolving a broad range of residence times, to gain a comprehensive understanding of time‐scales and infiltration characteristics in a bank filtration system. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.