Download Free An Anion Characterization Of A Constructed Wetland Used For Chlorinated Ethene Remediation Book in PDF and EPUB Free Download. You can read online An Anion Characterization Of A Constructed Wetland Used For Chlorinated Ethene Remediation and write the review.

Chlorinated ethene's physical properties as well as its ubiquitous state at DOD installations makes it a priority for innovative remediation efforts. Current techniques are expensive and time consuming to maintain. Constructed wetlands suggest an inexpensive and operational alternative to conventional technologies. Sub-surface flow wetlands provide the anaerobic zones necessary to reduce the recalcitrant chlorinated solvents prior to anaerobic or aerobic mineralization of its daughter products. A vertical flow cell to include sequential sedimentary layers of two hydric soil lifts and a mix of hydric soil and woody compost was the subject of this investigation. This study focused on the statistical significance among the three constructed strata. Concentrations of mono-carboxylic acids and other anions are indicators of the reductive conditions necessary for remediation. Acid anion concentrations were expected to be higher in the assumed anaerobic strata of the constructed cell as a result of the fermentation of humic substances. Decreases in sulfate and nitrate were also expected over the upward flowing, wetland profile due to the reductive, anoxic conditions. Evidence in this study validate these assumptions and suggest that constructed wetlands are a viable alternative to current remediation methods. Findings also suggest manipulation of the physical parameters such as strata depth, soil type, flow rate, etc of a wetland could increase the cell's remediation effectiveness.
Perchloroethene (PCE), Trichloroethene (TCE) and their degradation products are among the most common organic groundwater contaminants in the United States. Constructed wetlands utilizing upward flow harbor reduction- oxidation conditions that have demonstrated the potential to promote both partial and total mineralization of PCE and TCE through the process of natural attenuation. Organic acid and inorganic anion concentrations are indicative of reduction-oxidation processes that drive chlorinated ethene degradation. These analytes were investigated to assess their development within three vertically stratified regions of a constructed wetland cell at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base fed by groundwater contaminated with PCE and TCE. Data collected during the months of January 2002, December 2002, and January 2003 revealed changes in the organic acid pool over time and in space that correlated with changes in the inorganic anion pool. Overall organic acid concentrations decreased by an average of 93% over 11 month period, indicating a substantial geochemical evolution of the organic acid pool over this time frame. Measurements dissolved oxygen and ORP supported the existence of an aerobic region at the base of the wetland, followed by an anaerobic region in the strata above. Significant nitrate and sulfate reduction in the anaerobic region occurred in unison with the emergence of higher concentrations of lactate and formate. Results indicate the reducing conditions and substrates required to support reductive dechlorination of chlorinated ethenes were present in the subsurface of the wetland.
Widespread chlorinated ethene contamination of aquifers coupled with high costs of current treatment technologies demand innovative remediation solutions. Wetlands, maintaining anaerobic and aerobic zones promoting the complete degradation of chlorinated ethenes such as Tetrachloroethylene (PCE), could be the answer. This thesis characterized the chlorinated solvent contamination levels in three strata of an upward flow constructed wetland. Analysis of samples was accomplished by purge-and-trap gas chromatography. Water quality parameters, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP), pH, Conductivity, and Temperature, were also measured in monitoring wells with a water monitoring sonde. After removing data outliers caused by short-circuiting flow, PCE concentrations declined from an average of 32,59 +/- 0,699 ppb (+/- 95% confidence interval) in the inflow stream to an average of 0.171 +/- 0.079 ppb in the upper layer (99,3% reduction). Concentration trends of PCE degradation products cis-1,1 -Dichloroethylene (cis-DCE), Vinyl Chloride (VC), and Trichloroethylene TCE) indicate dechlorination processes are occurring. In addition to PCE, TCE at concentrations below 0,6 ppb was the only other analyte detected in the inflow and outflow, Water quality measurements (DO and 0RP) decreased from the bottom to the middle layer to a level that supports anaerobic reductive dechlorination but not methanogenesis. The DO increased slightly from the middle to the top layer while 0RP continued to decrease.
Perchloroethene (PCE) and its degradation products are among the most common organic groundwater contaminants in the United States. Constructed wetlands are a relatively new approach to dealing with this contamination problem. With their upward flow capability it is possible to introduce an aerobic and anaerobic environment with a consortium of microorganisms available to degrade the contaminants to within acceptable levels established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This study is a follow-up to the previous two years of research on PCE degradation in cell 1 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. This thesis was conducted in order to study the wetland and determine the mechanisms that exist to degrade the chlorinated solvent contamination that is present. It also provided additional evidence that the constructed wetland is degrading PCE to its innocuous byproducts. A purge-and-trap gas chromatograph was used to determine the concentrations of PCE, TCE, DCE isomers, and VC throughout the three layers of the constructed wetland. Inflow and outflow were also sampled and analyzed. In this year's data, PCE was detected at a level that was below the maximum contaminant level established by the EPA. However, it is clear that Cell 1 is still developing. This wetland cell has been in existence for three years and it is obvious that the development of a constructed wetland is a lengthy process. If a constructed wetland were to be used as a treatment process for contaminated water sources, time would have to be allowed for it to develop before it would reach maximum treatment efficiency.
The purpose of this study is to compare different approaches to modeling the reductive dechlorination of chlorinated ethenes in the anaerobic region of an upward flow constructed wetland by microbial consortia. A controlled simulation experiment that compares three different approaches to modeling the degradation of chlorinated ethenes in wetland environments is conducted and investigates how each of the modeling approaches affect simulation results. Concepts like microbial growth in the form of a biofilm and spatially varying contaminant concentrations bring the validity of the CSTR assumption into question. These concepts are incorporated into the different modeling approaches to evaluate the CSTR assumption. Model simulations show that spatially varying contaminant concentrations have a significant effect on contaminant effluent concentrations. Additionally, the significance of the incorporation of a biofilm concept depends on the time characteristics of both diffusive mass transport and reaction kinetics.
The purpose of this study is to determine chlorinated solvent contamination levels in an upward flow constructed wetland at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), Ohio. A stratified grid sampling methodology will be used in sampling the contaminated groundwater. Analysis will be accomplished by means of purge-and-trap gas chromatography. The contaminant concentration levels will be used to enhance the design and construction of man-made wetlands used to remove chlorinated solvents from aquifers. PCE levels declined from an average of 33.97 ppb in the inflow stream to an average of 3.65 ppb in the upper layer, a 91% reduction. High concentrations occurred in areas where high hydraulic pressure gradients and hydraulic conductivities combined to allow contaminated water to migrate to the upper layers of the wetland with minimal contact time for reduction. Removing these areas from the data set increased the PCE reduction efficiency to nearly 98% with an upper level concentration average of 0.84 ppb. Trichloroethene (TCE) inflow rates averaged 0.63 ppb while TCE concentrations in the upper layer averaged 0.175 ppb. TCE concentrations peaked in the middle layer of the wetland suggesting that reduction of PCE was occurring there and in the bottom layer.
The purpose of this study is to gain understanding of the dynamics of the processes that degrade Perchloroethene (PCE) to ethene, within the confines of the methanogenic zone of a constructed wetland. A system dynamics modeling approach is used. This model is focused on determining conditions that will enhance contaminant degradation. The chemical and biological processes within the methanogenic zone of a wetland system are extremely complex and dynamic processes. The model is broken up into three simultaneous processes: dechlorination, methanogenesis, and fermentation. The system behavior of the methanogenic zone can be adequately described by the classical formulations of representative microbial reactions acting simultaneously within each process in response to substrate limitation. The zone is assumed to be homogeneous and well mixed. This study provides a fundamental understanding of the complex interactions within the methanogenic zone of a constructed wetland and gives some insight for implementation. Testing identified flow rate, hydrogen concentration, and initial PCE biomass as specific parameters, which could be optimized to have the most effect on contaminant fate.
The purpose of this study is to gain understanding of the dynamics of the processes that degrade Perchloroethene (PCE) to ethene, within the confines of the methanogenic zone of a constructed wetland. A system dynamics modeling approach is used. This model is focused on determining conditions that will enhance contaminant degradation. The chemical and biological processes within the methanogenic zone of a wetland system are extremely complex and dynamic processes. The model is broken up into three simultaneous processes: dechlorination, methanogenesis, and fermentation. The system behavior of the methanogenic zone can be adequately described by the classical formulations of representative microbial reactions acting simultaneously within each process in response to substrate limitation. The zone is assumed to be homogeneous and well mixed. This study provides a fundamental understanding of the complex interactions within the methanogenic zone of a constructed wetland and gives some insight for implementation. Testing identified flow rate, hydrogen concentration, and initial PCE biomass as specific parameters, which could be optimized to have the most effect on contaminant fate.