In situ, field-scale evaluation of surfactant-enhanced DNAPL recovery using a single-well, 'push-pull' test

摘要

The overall goal of this project was to further develop the single-well, 'push-pull' test method as a feasibility assessment and site-characterization tool for studying the fundamental fate and transport behavior of injected surfactants and their ability to solubilize and mobilize dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) in the subsurface. The specific objectives were to develop a modified push-pull test for use in identifying and quantifying the effects of sorption, precipitation, and biodegradation on the fate and transport of injected surfactants, use the developed test method to quantify the effects of these processes on the ability of injected surfactants to solubilize and mobilize residual phase trichloroethane (TCE), and demonstrate the utility of the developed test method for performing site characterization and feasibility studies for surfactant-enhanced DNAPL recovery systems in the field. The results from the intermediate-scale laboratory experiments conducted for this project indicate that the single-well, push-pull test method can provide quantitative information on the effectiveness of injected surfactants in enhancing DNAPL solubilization in natural aquifer sediments. Specifically, the results of this research demonstrate the ability of the single-well, push-pull test to characterize the behavior of multi-component surfactants in the presence of natural aquifer sediment under laboratory and in-situ field conditions.