Verification and monitoring of deep granular iron permeable reactive barriers emplaced by vertical hydraulic fracturing and injection for groundwater remediation.

摘要

This study evaluated the use of vertical hydraulic fracturing and injection (VHFI) to emplace granular iron as a deep passive treatment system to remove organic contaminants from groundwater at the Massachusetts Military Reservation on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It was the first permeable reactive barrier (PRB) constructed at a depth greater than 15 m below the ground surface. VHFI propagates a vertical fracture from a slot cut through the injection-well casing at a selected depth and orientation. Granular iron is suspended in a viscous fluid using a biodegradable guar polymer and pumped through the slot to form a thin vertical sheet. Two PRBs were emplaced 6 m apart and perpendicular to the groundwater flow direction with mid-depths of about 30 m below the ground surface. Due to the depth, all of the emplacement and verification methods used down-hole tools. Resistivity imaging used salt added to the guar as an electrical tracer to map the spread of the VHFI fluid for propagation control and to estimate the extent of the completed PRB. Radar tomography before and after emplacement also provided images of the PRBs and hydraulic pulse testing and electromagnetic logging provided additional data. One PRB consisted of 40 tonnes of granular iron and was estimated to be an average of 80 mm thick. Based on geophysical imaging, the 100% iron PRB was 15 m long and extended from about 24.5 to 35.5 m depth. The second PRB consisted of a mixture of 5.6 tonnes of well sand and 4.4 tonnes of iron, but was only partially completed. Based on imaging, the sand/iron PRB comprised an area 9 m long extending from about 27 to 34.5 m below the ground surface. The proximity of screened wells, which deviated significantly from vertical toward the PRB alignment, resulted in loss of VHFI control. A sub-horizontal layer of iron formed between the 100% iron PRB and several of the wells. Similarly, piping failure zones formed between the sand/iron PRB and two geophysical wells.; Selected groundwater constituents were monitored up- and down-gradient of the two PRBs for 11 months before the PRB emplacement and for 48 months afterwards. Temporary elevated levels of sodium, chloride, and conductance (from the salt tracer), total organic carbon (from the guar) and lowered DO were observed down-gradient of the PRBs. Although the various verification methods confirmed the presence of the 100% iron PRB and its overall continuity, the groundwater data showed no evidence of flow through the granular iron (PCE degradation, elevated pH, dissolved oxygen removal and reducing conditions). This suggests that the groundwater flows around the 100% iron PRB. It is possible that the guar used for the VHFI remained cross-linked, creating a low-permeability barrier. In contrast, the partially completed sand/iron wall did affect the groundwater chemistry in several down-gradient wells. Reducing conditions, zero DO, high pH, and high levels of dissolved iron were noted. A reduction in PCE concentrations and formation of degradation products were observed. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)