Tracer studies for evaluation of in situ air sparging and in-well aeration system performance at a gasoline-contaminated site

Abstract

Field-scale tracer studies were conducted at a gasoline-contaminated site in order to evaluate the effectiveness of in situ air sparging (IAS) and in-well aeration (IWA) in controlling the movement of soil gas and groundwater in the subsurface. The field site was comprised of silty sand (SM) and silty clay (CL), underlain by a clay layer at approximately 7.6 m. Depth to groundwater ranged from 2.4 to 3 m. Soil permeability and the natural hydraulic gradient were both low. Helium was used to trace the movement of soil gas in the unsaturated zone during the IAS field study, and successfully confirmed short-circuit pathways for injected air and demonstrated the limited distribution of injected gases at this site. Fluorescein, bromide, and rhodamine were used to trace the movement of groundwater during the IWA system field study, and successfully documented the inability of the IWA system to recirculate enough groundwater to enhance subsurface dissolved oxygen levels or to remediate groundwater by air stripping at this site. The inability of the systems to remediate the site was likely due to site conditions which consist of low-permeability soils and decreasing permeability with depth. As a result, relatively impermeable layers exist at the depth of the IAS screen and the lower IWA screen. These site conditions are not conducive to successful performance of either remediation system.