Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Cleaning up contaminated sites in Canada is a significant challenge, in part due to the limited cost effective technologies that can efficiently reduce contamination to safe levels. This is a particular challenge when impermeable soils, such as clay and silts, are contaminated. The use of nanoscale iron for remediation of contaminated sites has received significant attention in part due to the ability of nZVI to rapidly transform many contaminants in controlled laboratory experiments. One problem that has hampered the widespread implementation of nanoiron is its relatively short reactive lifespan. To overcome this problem the project team has developed a new nanoiron technology whereby they modify the nanioron surface through sulfurization, thereby increasing the reactive lifespan to greater than a year in laboratory experiments. Another promising treatment technology is the use of electrokinetics to move amendments into impermeable soils where they can react to degrade contaminants in the ground. Similar to the sulfidized nanoiron technology the project team has developed this technology in the laboratory and achieved outstanding results. This study proposes to trial these two technologies in the field to further help bring these very promising treatment technologies to widespread field application. This field study will conducted at Dow Chemical's Sarnia, ON facility with the strong support of Jacobs, Geosyntec and Arcadis. Dow Chemical owns a number of locations in Canada where the subsurface has been impacted by chlorinated solvents. The development of innovative remediation alternatives is a key part of their environmental stewardship plan. CH2MHill, Geosyntec and Arcadis are keenly aware of the contamination challenges that face many of their clients. The application of nanoiron and electrokinetics has the potential to meet many of these challenges.