--> Abstract: Innovative In-Situ Groundwater Remedial Technologies from the Savannah River Site, by Gerald C. Blount and Jeffrey J. Thibault; #90078 (2008)

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Innovative In-Situ Groundwater Remedial Technologies from the Savannah River Site

Gerald C. Blount1 and Jeffrey J. Thibault2
1Closures, Washington Savannah River Company, Aiken, SC
2Bechtel Savannah River Inc., Aiken, SC

The Savannah River Site (SRS) occupies approximately 300 square miles of land adjacent to the Savannah River in South Carolina. SRS produced tritium, plutonium, and special nuclear materials for national defense and the space programs. Groundwater plumes at SRS fall into three types: those composed mostly of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), those with VOCs and tritium, and plumes of tritium and other radionuclides and metals. SRS has been performing remediation on groundwater plumes for twenty years. Prior to 2000 remedial actions on groundwater usually involved pump and treat technologies. Pump and treat creates waste, is typically not as effective as desired, and is expensive (capital, operation and maintenance, and waste disposal). For the last seven years SRS has been developing and employing innovative in-situ remedial technologies that are not prone to create waste, tend to be more effective, accelerate cleanup, typically require lower capital investment, and are less expensive to operate and maintain. Technologies include edible oil injection, subsurface barrier systems, reactive chemical injection, and evapotranspiration of tritiated water. Edible oil injection is being tested in the vadose zone and within aquifers. Barrier systems have been employed to manage the release rates from sources and direct groundwater flow. Reactive chemical injection is being used to neutralize acidic groundwater and precipitate metals. Tritiated water is being managed with evapotranspiration in forests using irrigation techniques.

 

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90078©2008 AAPG Annual Convention, San Antonio, Texas