Remediation of zinc-contaminated groundwater by iron oxide in situ adsorption barriers – From lab to the field

Heavy metals such as zinc cannot be degraded by microorganisms and form long contaminant plumes in groundwater. Conventional methods for remediating heavy metal-contaminated sites are for example excavation and pump-and-treat, which is expensive and requires very long operation times. This induced interest in new technologies such as in situ adsorption barriers for immobilization of heavy metal contamination. In this study, we present steps and criteria from laboratory tests to field studies, which are necessary for a successful implementation of an in situ adsorption barrier for immobilizing zinc. Groundwater and sediment samples from a contaminated site were brought to the lab, where the adsorption of zinc to Goethite nanoparticles was studied in batch and in flow-through systems mimicking field conditions. The Goethite nanoparticles revealed an in situ adsorption capacity of approximately 23 mg Zn per g Goethite. Transport experiments in sediment columns indicated an expected radius of influence of at least 2.8 m for the injection of Goethite nanoparticles. These findings were validated in a pilot-scale field study, where an in situ adsorption barrier of ca. 11 m × 6 m × 4 m was implemented in a zinc-contaminated aquifer. The injected nanoparticles were irreversibly deposited at the desired location within <24 h, and were not dislocated with the groundwater flow. Despite a constantly increasing inflow of zinc to the barrier and the short contact time between Goethite and zinc in the barrier, the dissolved zinc was effectively immobilized for ca. 90 days. Then, the zinc concentrations increased slowly downstream of the barrier, but the barrier still retained most of the zinc from the inflowing groundwater. The study demonstrated the applicability of Goethite nanoparticles to immobilize heavy metals in situ and highlights the criteria for upscaling laboratory-based determinants to field-scale.