Volatilisation and biodegradation during air sparging of dissolved BTEX-contaminated groundwater

摘要

The relative contributions of volatilisation and biodegradation are quantified for a field trial of air sparging for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with dissolved petroleum hydrocar- bons. Groundwater in the unconfined sand aquifer at Kwinana in Western Australia was grossly contaminated by benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene(BTEX)and other dissolved organics from spills of gasoline. Multi-depth sampling bores, in situ oxygen sensors and neutron access tubes were used to determine changes in groundwater chemistry, oxygen utilisation and the fate of injected air in the aquifer.