RESEARCH PROGRAMS
Soil
and Groundwater Restoration
As a result of various human activities, soil and groundwater contamination
is widespread in the U.S. These contamination sites must be cleaned up
to restore beneficial use. Successful remediation of contaminated sites
requires adequate site characterization, knowledge of the transport and
fate behavior of the contaminants, and an understanding of the design
and performance factors associated with potential remediation technologies.
The development of innovative site characterization and remediation technologies
is a focus of this program. Current research includes:
- the use
of solubilization or oxidation agents to enhance mass removal for source
zones contaminated by chlorinated solvents (Brusseau, Maier).
- the
use of biosurfactants or metal-resistant microorganisms to enhance the
remediation of metal-contaminated and co-contaminated (metals and organics)
sites (Maier, Pepper)
- the use of plants to restore soil quality (Artiola, Glenn, Maier, Walworth). These studies are being conducted at laboratory, intermediate, and field scales.