• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.426-430
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• 2003

Subsurface biobarrier technology has potential applications to contain contaminated groundwater and/or to degrade toxic pollutants in groundwater. Effective biobarrier formation is need to assess of hydrogeologic characteristics and to conduct practical operation strategies and design based on this prior to design biobarrier. Thus, in this study, we examined hydrogeologic characteristics in biobarrier construction site. Hydraulic conductivities which calculated from slug test data have shown difference with each well as 1.20$\times$10$^{-3}$ -6.00$\times$10$^{-5}$ cm/sec. Tracer test is a method in which concentration of tracer solution during withdrawal in each well by vacuum extraction system is measured with time. Tracer solution was continuously injected by constant head tank. Measured tracer concentration versus time data were fitted to analytical solution of convection dispersion equation (CDE). The fitting data of CDE to the measured data at each extraction well yielded were 0.61cm/min(pore velocity), 5.38$\textrm{cm}^2$/min(dispersion coefficient) for discharge rate of 0.47 1/min and 1.75cm/min(pore velocity), 36.34$\textrm{cm}^2$/min(dispersion coefficient) for discharge rate of 0.93 1/min. As a result, we acquired fundamental parameters which need to design biobarrier and operation strategies.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.114-117
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• 2002

Sorption and desorption studies were conducted to evaluate several media as a potential biobarrier for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs). Pahokee and Bion peats, Devonian Ohio shale, vermicompost, and 50% HDTMA-montmorillonite were used as model sorbents. Sorption and desorption isotherms were determined using the radiolabeled phenanthrene (Phe). Sorption capacity of Phe on several sorbents was in the order Ohio shale > 50% HDTMA-montmorillonite > vermicompost > Pahokee peat. Mineralization kinetics was investigated for Phe-sorbed sorbents using Pseudomonas putida 17484. Among the tested sorbents, active biodegradation of Phe was observed in shale and vermicompost: degradation in shale exhibited little lag time while that in shale showed a significant lag time. Results of this study indicate that sorbents used in this work can be utilized as permeable reactive biobarrier media for the remediation of HOC-contaminated groundwater.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.366-369
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• 2002

Subsurface biobarrier technology has potential applications to contain contaminated groundwater and/or to degrade toxic pollutants in groundwater. Most biobarrier studies were conducted under aerobic condition, however there were several obstacles to make aerobic condition. Thus, In this study, we examined biobarrier formation under denitrifying condition by using nitrate as an electron acceptor. Experiments were performed with a sand column inoculated with activated sludge from the nearby WWTP. The substrate medium was pumped to the sand column in an upflow mode. During the low substrate loading rate period, the extent of reduction rate in hydraulic conductivity was found similar throughout the column, and permeability became relatively stable after couple of days. However, during the high substrate loading rate period, the column demonstrated a gradient of permeability reduction, with the greatest reduction in sections nearest the column inlet. Rapid growth of microorganisms near the column inlet resulted in the unbalanced reduction of hydraulic conductivity throughout the sand column. As a result, at this denitrifying condition the thickness of biobarrier could be controlled by adjusting the medium conditions of microbial growth.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.391-394
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• 2003

The applicability of in situ microbial filter or biobarrier technology for the remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents was investigated. The efficiency and rates of reductive dechlorination of chlorinated solvents are known to be highly dependent on hydrogen concentration. In this study, the effect of electron donors on the reductive dechlorination of PCE was investigated using vermicompost (worm casting) and peat as permeable reactive barrier medium The effect of organic acids (lactate, butyrate and benzoate), yeast extract and vitamin $B_{l2}$ on the reductive dechlorination was investigated. Compared to the control (no electron donor added), addition of electron donors stimulated the dechlorinated rate. Among the electron donor treatments, lactate/benzoate amendment exhibited the highest dechlorination rate. Since vermicompost and peat are inexpensive and biodegradable and have high sorption capacity, they could be successfully used as biobarrier media, especially when electron donors (for example, lactate/benzoate) are added.d.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.22-37
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• 2006

The applicability of biobarrier or in situ microbial filter technology for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvent was investigated through batch microcosm study. The efficiency and rates of reductive dechlorination of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) are known to be highly dependent on hydrogen concentration. In this study, the effect of electron donors on the reductive dechlorination of PCE was investigated using vermicompost (or worm casting) and peat as a biobarrier medium. The effect of organic acids (lactate, butyrate and benzoate), yeast extract and vitamin $B_{12}$ on the reductive dechlorination was investigated. In the absence of biobarrier medium (adsorbent), addition of electron donors stimulated the dechlorination rate of PCE compared to the control experiment (i.e., no electron donor added). Among the treatments, addition of lactate or lactate/benzoate as hydrogen donor exhibited the highest dechlorination rate ($k_1=0.0260{\sim}0.0266\;day^{-1}$). In case of using vermicompost as a biobarrier medium, amendment of lactate/benzoate exhibited the highest dechlorination rate following with a pseudo-first-order degradation rate constant of $k_1=0.0849\;day^{-1}$. In contrast, when Pahokee peat was used as a biobarrier medium, either butyrate or lactate addition exhibited the highest dechlorination rate with $k_1$ values of 0.1092 and $0.1067\;day^{-1}$, respectively. The results of this study showed the potential applicability of in situ biobarrier technology using vermicompost or peat as a barrier material for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvent.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1147-1155
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• 2007

The applicability of in situ biobarrier or microbial filter technology for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvent was investigated through column study. In this study, the effect of packing materials on the reductive dechlorination of PCE was investigated using Canadian peat, Pahokee peat, peat moss and vermicompost (or worm casting) as a biobarrier medium. Optimal conditions previously determined from a batch microcosm study was applied in this column study. Lactate/benzoate was amended as electron donors to stimulate reductive dechlorination of PCE. Hydraulic conductivity was approximately $6{\times}10^{-5}-8{\times}10^{-5}\;cm/sec$ and no difference was found among the packing materials. The transport and dispersion coefficients determined from the curve-fitting of the breakthrough curves of $Br^-$ using CXTFIT 2.1 showed no difference between single-region and two-region models. The reductive dechlorination of PCE was efficiently occurred in all columns. Among the columns, especially the column packed with vermicompost exhibited the highest reductive dechlorination efficiency. The results of this study showed the promising potential of in situ biobarrier technology using peat and vermicompost for the remediation of groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2001.09a
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• pp.75-78
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• 2001

Authors evaluated the feasibility of a permeable reactive biobarrier (PRB) treated with biofilm formed by Beijerinckia indica (B.indica). This study focused on evaluating two potentials of B.indica for the requirements of PRB: reducing the hydraulic conductivity and degrading the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The hydraulic conductivity was estimated by rigid wall column test and finally the values were converted to the values of intrinsic permeability. The nutrient solution was passed through the biobarrier column to activate the bacterium and then leachate was in turn carried into the column to evaluate the durability of the biobarrier. Phenanthrene was selected as a representative substance of PAHs. The ability of degrading phenanthrene by B.indica was evaluated by two-phase partitioning bioreactor after estimating the possibility with two pretests: observing the colony formation and the optical density on glucose-free medium containing phenanthrene. With the results, B.indica produced large amount of strongly adhesive exopolysaccharides (EPS) and reduced several orders of magnitude of the hydraulic conductivity after 2 weeks of cultivation. Furthermore, about 1000mg/1 of phenanthrene could be degraded by B.indica in the two-phase partitioning bioreactor. In conclusion, the application of the bacterium, B.indica, was found to have a potential role of a PRB to retain and remove contaminants in porous media.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.12-20
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• 2003

This study presents a mathematical model for simulating the fate and transport of a reactive organic contaminant, TCE, degraded by cometabolism in dual-porosity soils during the installation of in situ biobarrier. To investigate the effect of dual-porosity on transport and biodegradation of organic hydrocarbons, a bimodal approach was incorporated into the model. Modified Monod kinetics and a microcolony concept were employed to represent the effects of biodegrading microbes on the transport and biodegradation of an organic contaminant. The effect of permeability reduction in biobarrier due to biomass accumulation on the flow field were examined in the simulation of a hypothetical field-scale in situ bioaugmentation. Simulation results indicate that the presence of the immobile region can decrease the bioavailability of biodegradable contaminants and that the placement of microbes and nutrients injection wells should be considered for an effective installation of biobarrier during in situ bioaugmentation scheme.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.112-113
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• 2005

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2007

A series of batch and column experiments were conducted for the development of biobarrier technology which can be applied to containment and reduction of contaminants in soil and ground waters. The growth kinetic constants of Pseudomonas fluorescens on glucose or molasses were determined using batch experiments. The maximum specific growth rate (Vmax) of P. fluorescens at $23^{\circ}C$ on glucose or molasses were $0.246\;hr^{-1}$ and $0.073\;hr^{-1}$, respectively. However, molasses was selected as carbon source due largely to the absence of lag phase of P. fluorescens growth on molasses and economic reason. In constant head column experiments, the hydraulic conductivity of the column soil reduced by $6.8{\times}10^{-3}$ times from $4.1{\times}10^{-2}cm/sec$ to $2.8{\times}10^{-4}cm/sec$ after the inoculation of P. fluorescens and administration of carbon source and nutrients. The biomass concentration was observed highest in the column inlet. Measurements of carbon source and electron accepter (dissolved oxygen) concentration showed that the growth of P. fluorescence, which is the main reason for hydraulic conductivity reduction, was limited not by the concentration of carbon source but by the concentration of electron acceptor.