University of FloridaSolutions for Your Life

Download PDF
Publication #CNR11

 

Innovations in Groundwater Remediation1

Center for Natural Resources2

Abstract

This fact sheet briefly describes methods to remediate contaminated groundwater and related advantages. It lists UF faculty, project supporters and collaborators, and other related Web Sites and contacts.

Innovative research conducted by a University of Florida (UF) faculty team offers an efficient and less costly approach to remediating contaminated groundwater.

The traditional pump-and-treat method involves flushing with water to dissolve and extract pollutants. Because contaminants do not dissolve readily in water, this procedure requires using large quantities of water over several decades.

The UF approach is based on injecting mixtures of water, alcohols (co-solvents) and/or detergents (surfactants) into contaminated areas. These additives dissolve nearly 1,000 to 10,000 times more of the contaminant, thereby drastically reducing the clean-up time. The flushing agents dissolve the pollutants, which are then "flushed" out for disposal or treatment above ground.

The relatively high cost of water-only remediation leads many companies to stall restoration, accepting less expensive legal fees incurred from delaying cleanup efforts. The UF groundwater remediation method could make site restoration more economically feasible.

Keywords

groundwater, remediation, contaminants, pollutants, in-situ, flushing, restoration, PCE, DNAPL, perchloroethylene tracers, dense nonaqueous phase liquid, Mike Annable, Kirk Hatfield, Wendy Graham, Suresh Rao

Click here to see a full-color pdf of this document

Footnotes

1.

This publication was produced by the Center for Natural Resources at the University of Florida. CNR 11 is part of a Program Summary Series. First published: 9/28/2001. Minor revision: March 2003. 1051 McCarty Hall D. Post Office Box 110230. Tel: (352) 392-7622 Fax: (352) 846-2856 Email: cnr_mail@mail.ifas.ufl.edu Web: http://cnr.ifas.ufl.edu/

2.

This fact sheet was written by The Center for Natural Resources (CNR). Established in 1973, CNR, at the University of Florida, plays a major role in the conservation, preservation and restoration of our nation's natural resources by facilitating interdisciplinary collaborations between UF faculty and external stakeholders.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, Dean.