In-situ polymerization to immobilize contaminants in groundwater

University Of South Carolina At Columbia, Columbia SC

Investigators

Abstract

This project is funded by the Environmental Chemical Sciences program in the Division of Chemistry. It supports Professors John Ferry and Thomas Makris of the University of South Carolina at Columbia to investigate approaches to groundwater remediation. Groundwater is a critical national resource, used daily to meet individual, agricultural, industrial, and commercial needs. Soluble, toxic organic chemicals (such as chlorinated solvents and wood preservatives) in groundwater restrict its availability for use. Many treatment strategies are based on moving the contaminant into an alternate phase (e.g., gas or solid). This project tests the hypothesis that "polymerization in place" strategies can be used to increase the molecular weight of some contaminants in the subsoil, allowing them to form solids that separate from the liquid groundwater. The process of immobilizing the contaminants ensures that they are no longer available to plants and animals (including people) that use the water. This study may produce a more efficient approach for contaminant removal. The research is carried out by graduate students who receive training in fundamental chemical research with applications in sustainable approaches to solving environmental challenges. The team explores this strategy by examining the kinetics and products of the reactions of several commonly-found groundwater contaminants. These include chlorinated solvents and wood preservative. The model contaminants used in this study include the most widely detected organic contaminants reported in the National Assessment of Water Quality groundwater database. Several widely-used polymerization catalysts are being tested. New technologies may reclaim significant groundwater resources that currently are prohibitively expensive to recover. The project also develops a new understanding of polymerization processes in soils, potentially offering new insight regarding organic carbon sequestration strategies.