Enhanced bioremediation of chlorate and chromium in groundwater

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Chlorate is produced on a large scale by the chemical industry and used in a wide range of applications.**It is manufactured for the production of chlorine dioxide which is used as a bleaching agent in the pulp and paper industry, and in disinfection of drinking water. Currently, Canada is one of the largest sodium chlorate producers in the world (Merchant Research & Consulting Ltd., 2017).**Chlorate and chromium are common co-contaminants in groundwater at pulp and paper mills and sodium chlorate manufacturing facilities. Some remediation approaches for chlorate may not be effective for other co-contaminants (e.g. hexavalent chromium), and may result in the undesirable mobilization of other metals (e.g. arsenic, barium) from native soils. It is important to quantify the possible release of these metals into the groundwater, and potentially the aquatic environment, prior to design and construction of a remediation system.**The proposed research will evaluate whether sequential treatment systems consisting of enhanced bioremediation (e.g. organic compound mixed with soil), followed by abiotic transformation, (e.g. limestone mixed with soil), provide an effective remedial approach for these sites, which often go unremediated (e.g. brownfields) due to costly, inefficient techniques to control groundwater contamination (e.g. pump and treat). To the applicants best knowledge, it is the first time in-situ remediation techniques have been applied to treat both contaminants at these types of sites, and the first time these remediation approaches have been evaluated for cold region conditions, benefiting Canada, directly. The project is collaboration between the University of Manitoba (PI Dr.Beata Gorczyca), Dillon Consulting, and an industry partner.**