PNNL

Abstract

A series of conventional, saturated column experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of utilizing in situ phosphate amendments, for subsurface, metal remediation, on sediment hydraulic conductivity. Experiments were conducted under mildly alkaline/calcareous conditions representative of conditions commonly encountered at sites across the arid western United States, which have been used in weapons and fuel production and display significant subsurface contamination. Results indicate the displacement of a single pore volume of either sodium monophosphate or phytic acid amendments causes approximately a 30% decrease in the hydraulic conductivity of the sediment. Long-chain polyphosphate amendments afford no measurable reduction in hydraulic conductivity. These results demonstrate 1) the utility of long-chain polyphosphate amendments for subsurface metal sequestration and 2) the necessity of conducting column experiments to completely evaluate the effects of subsurface remediation.