Effective treatment of heavy metals (e.g., hexavalent chromium, arsenic, lead, cadmium, copper, nickel, etc.) present in groundwater, soil, and waste requires varied approaches, equipment, and experience. It also requires a thorough understanding of groundwater and soil chemistry to achieve a successful outcome. AST has conducted heavy metals remediation projects for groundwater, soil, and waste applications since our founding in 1993. Some projects have included commingled contaminant plumes of heavy metals and organic contaminants, and in many of these instances can be addressed with one product or multiple products in one mobilization.
In the past decade, our experience has expanded to groundwater treatment of heavy metals through in-house equipment innovation, experts with diverse heavy metals experience, and using approaches that are considered pioneering in our industry. AST’s in situ slurry injection methodology is an effective and cost-efficient alternative to expensive pump and treat systems, multiple years of sequential injections to manage pHpH is a measure of the acidity or basicity (alkalinity) of a solution. It is defined as the negative logarithm... or ORP, or cost and time-intensive aquifer mixing. This approach can be used to address source area heavy metals issues, or it may include installation of Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRBs) to protect property boundaries, sensitive receptors, or bisect onsite plumes.
The implementation methods vary with lithology, depth of impact(s), and reagents to be injected. AST continues to refine our tooling and injection procedures to ensure effective reagent distribution regardless of the depth or nature of the lithology. As part of reactant emplacement, recorded injection parameters are combined with field quality control procedures to verify effective distribution within the formation for expedited removal of contaminant mass.
Typically, AST works with FerroBlack® reactants for heavy metals remediation in groundwater and TerraBond® reagents for soil and waste. These unique products can treat a wide range of heavy metals and are immediately reactive- no response or curing time. AST works with product providers and our clients to affirm the proper application, dosage rate, and distribution requirements for these products through pro bono bench-scale testing and pilot testing as necessary.
See Management Options:
- Groundwater
- CERCLA/State Superfund
- Brownfields
- Subtitle D Disposal
- TCLP, SPLP, MEP, LEAF
