A field comparison of two reductive dechlorination (zero-valent iron and lactate) methods

<div><p>Two parallel pilot experiments were performed at Kurivody (Czech Republic) in order to compare two reductive remedial technologies for chlorinated ethenes – microbial dehalogenation assisted by lactate and chemical dehalogenation with zero-valent iron (nZVI) nanoparticles. The methods were applied at a site contaminated by tetrachlorethylene (PCE) and trichlorethylene (TCE), with total concentrations from 10 to 50 mg/l. Concentrations of chlorinated ethenes, inorganic components of interest, pH and oxidation reduction potential (ORP) were monitored at the site for a period up to 650 days. The method of biological reductive dechlorination supported by lactate showed a considerable removal of PCE and TCE, but temporary accumulation of transient reaction product 1,2-cis-dihloroethene. Reductive dechlorination with nZVI showed a significant reduction in the concentration of chlorinated ethenes without a formation of intermediate products. The development of pH showed only small changes due to the high buffering capacity of the aquifer. Both methods differ in the initial development of ORP, but over the long term showed similar values around 100 mV. Significant differences were observed for chemical oxygen demand, where groundwater after the application of nZVI showed no change in comparison to the application of lactate. The reductive effects of both agents were verified by changes in inorganic compound concentrations.</p> </div

Molecular Insights of Oxidation Process of Iron Nanoparticles: Spectroscopic, Magnetic, and Microscopic Evidence

Oxidation behavior of nano-Fe⁰ particles in an anoxic environment was determined using different state-of-the-art analytical approaches, including high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) combined with energy filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and magnetic measurements. Oxidation in controlled experiments was compared in standard double distilled (DD) water, DD water spiked with trichloroethene (TCE), and TCE contaminated site water. Using HR-TEM and EFTEM, we observed a surface oxide layer (∼3 nm) formed immediately after the particles were exposed to water. XAS analysis followed the dynamic change in total metallic iron concentration and iron oxide concentration for the experimental duration of 35 days. The metallic iron concentration in nano-Fe⁰ particles exposed to water, was ∼40% after 35 days; in contrast, the samples containing TCE were reduced to ∼15% and even to nil in the case of TCE contaminated site water, suggesting that the contaminants enhance the oxidation of nano-Fe⁰. Frequency dependence measurements confirmed the formation of superparamagnetic particles in the system. Overall, our results suggest that nano-Fe⁰ oxidized via the Fe⁰ – Fe­(OH)₂ – Fe₃O₄ – (γ-Fe₂O₃) route and the formation of superparamagnetic maghemite nanoparticles due to disruption of the surface oxide layer