Effectiveness of in situ air sparging for removing NAPL gasoline from a sandy aquifer near Perth, Western Australia

Abstract

In situ air sparging has the potential to augment the removal of nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) contaminants in soil vapour extraction (SVE) systems when the NAPL is present in the capillary fringe or below the water table. NAPL removal can also be enhanced from above the water table by improving air access. Results are presented from a pilot-scale field trial aimed at evaluating the performance of such a remediation strategy where in situ air sparging was used in conjunction with a soil vapour extraction system to remove weathered gasoline NAPL from an unconfined sandy aquifer. A simple analysis that partitions extracted soil vapour between air injected through the sparge well and air drawn from the atmosphere across the soil surface, together with petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in the extracted soil vapour, was used to interpret the effectiveness of air sparging. The composition and mass of the NAPL in the aquifer were also monitored along with observations on the distribution of air in the aquifer. Results showed that sparged air constituted 42% of the extracted soil vapour but contributed the majority of the petroleum hydrocarbons removed. For the first 5 days of sparging, hydrocarbon concentrations in the sparged air were in equilibrium with the NAPL in the aquifer leading to total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in the combined system being three to four times greater than for soil vapour extraction alone. Petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in the extracted soil vapour decreased over time as a result of the depletion of the more volatile constituents from the NAPL, possible development of mass transfer limitations and increased fraction of clean air from depleted zones. Overall, 65% of the 673 kg of petroleum hydrocarbons extracted in soil vapour over a period of 30 days was carried in sparged air from the single sparge well. Percentages of the mass carried in the sparged air were even higher (median 70%) for individual aromatic hydrocarbons. Inclusion of air sparging increased the mass extracted by a factor of 1.9 (more for individual petroleum hydrocarbons) over and above that for soil vapour extraction alone for the 30 days of sparging. Air sparging was also effective in removing residual NAPL from below the water table. The mass of petroleum hydrocarbons removed from the site was not reflected in changes to the mass of NAPL in the aquifer. This result is apparently due to lateral inflow of NAPL to the site although evidence of a depleted source of volatilised hydrocarbons suggests the possible development of mass transfer limitations.