PNNL

Abstract

Energetics such as, RDX, HMX, and CL-20 exhibit low sorption and low natural degradation. They can infiltrate through the vadose zone to groundwater and move rapidly to groundwater, so pose a high risk. If there are no physical pumping limitations in an aquifer, pump and treat may be an economical option for the remediation. However, many contaminants after decades of contact with sub-surface sediments, have advected/diffused into low permeability materials, hence conventional pump and treat methods are less efficient, as water is generally pumped through only the higher permeability porous media. In these cases, in situ remediation may be a more viable alternative. Energetic degradation and mineralization can occur biotically, abiotically, and by coupled abiotic/biotic (parallel or sequential) processes naturally or by addition of biostimulation amendments or chemical treatments (or both). An understanding of the actual processes that are influencing energetic movement in the sub-surface and degrading energetic mass is needed to accurately predict long-term clean-up process.