Natural Polymer-Aided Alcohol Flushing for Enhancement of TCE Remediation: Effects of Soil Property and Permeability

摘要

Natural biopolymer, alginic acid, was capable of making relative permeability reversal. This behavior was attributed to polymer blocking of high permeability pores, thus reversing the relative permeability of the "higher" and "lower" permeability zones, which, in turn, resulted in an induced TCE flushing by methanol solution in tight zones. Alginic acid was the best candidate among the polymers tested for the PAAF experiment. Therefore, a natural polymer injection for modification of permeability contrast in porous media in conjunction with alcohol flushing has good potential to enhance overall TCE remediation.