Performance of a zerovalent iron reactive barrier for the treatment of arsenic in groundwater: Part 1. Hydrogeochemical studies.

Developments and improvements of remedial technologies are needed to effectively manage arsenic contamination in groundwater at hazardous waste sites. In June 2005, a 9.1 m long, 14 m deep, and 1.8 to 2.4 m wide (in the direction of groundwater flow) pilot-scale permeable reactive barrier (PRB) was installed at a former lead smelting facility, located near Helena, Montana (USA). The reactive barrier was designed to treat groundwater contaminated with moderately high concentrations of both As(III) and As(V). The reactive barrier was installed over a 3-day period using bio-polymer slurry methods and modified excavating equipment for deep trenching. The reactive medium was composed entirely of granular iron which was selected based on long-term laboratory column experiments. A monitoring network of approximately 40 groundwater sampling points was installed in July 2005. Monitoring results indicate arsenic concentrations >25 mg L−1 in wells located hydraulically upgradient of the PRB. Of 80 groundwater samples collected from the pilot-PRB, 11 samples exceeded 0.50 mg As L−1; 62 samples had concentrations of arsenic at or below 0.50 mg L−1; and, 24 samples were at or below the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for arsenic of 0.01 mg L−1. After 2 years of operation, monitoring points located within 1 m of the downgradient edge of the PRB showed significant decreases in arsenic concentrations at depth intervals impacted by the emplaced zerovalent iron. This study indicates that zerovalent iron can be effectively used to treat groundwater contaminated with arsenic given appropriate groundwater geochemistry and hydrology. The study also further demonstrates the shortcomings of hanging-wall designs. Detailed subsurface characterization data that capture geochemical and hydrogeologic variability, including a flux-based analysis, are needed for successful applications of PRB technology for arsenic remediation.