Use of hydrogen peroxide as an oxygen source for in situ biodegradation : Part I. Field studies

Abstract

Hydrogen peroxide, which is commonly used as an oxygen source for in situ biodegradation, tends to decompose into water and oxygen gas. The rate of this decomposition relative to the oxygen demand of the contaminated aquifer is important to the success of an in situ process. The objective of this study, which was performed at Eglin Air Force Base in northwest Florida, was to evaluate in situ hydrogen peroxide stability and biological oxygen utilization for the biodegradation of JP-4 jet fuel. Hydrogen peroxide was injected into the subsurface, concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and oxygen were measured in monitoring wells, and in situ tests were conducted to determine hydrogen peroxide decomposition and oxygen use rates at the well locations. Because the rates of hydrogen peroxide decomposition were consistently found to be much higher than the rates of oxygen utilization, it is unlikely that any significant part of the oxygen from the hydrogen peroxide in excess of that initially required to saturate the groundwater was used to degrade jet fuel.