Density-regulated remediation of dense non-aqueous phase liquids using colloidal biliquid aphrons (CBLA): Force model of transport and distribution

Chaoge Yang; Nnanake-Abasi Offiong; Chunpeng Zhang; Fangyuan Liu; Weihong Zhang; Jun Dong

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151057

Density-regulated remediation of dense non-aqueous phase liquids using colloidal biliquid aphrons (CBLA): Force model of transport and distribution

Sci Total Environ. 2022 Feb 10;807(Pt 3):151057. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151057. Epub 2021 Oct 25.

Authors

Chaoge Yang¹, Nnanake-Abasi Offiong¹, Chunpeng Zhang¹, Fangyuan Liu¹, Weihong Zhang², Jun Dong³

Affiliations

¹ Key Lab of Groundwater Resources and Environment Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Petrochemical Contaminated Site Control and Remediation Technology, Jilin University, 2519 Jiefang Road, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China.
² Key Lab of Groundwater Resources and Environment Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Petrochemical Contaminated Site Control and Remediation Technology, Jilin University, 2519 Jiefang Road, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China. Electronic address: zhangwh@jlu.edu.cn.
³ Key Lab of Groundwater Resources and Environment Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China; National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Petrochemical Contaminated Site Control and Remediation Technology, Jilin University, 2519 Jiefang Road, Changchun, Jilin 130021, China. Electronic address: dongjun@jlu.edu.cn.

PMID: 34710427
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151057

Abstract

Using colloidal biliquid aphrons (CBLAs) for density control has been proved to a promising technology in dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) contaminated aquifer remediation. However, the transport and distribution of CBLAs in aquifer is an urgent issue for actual application in groundwater. Especially considering the fact that CBLAs have a lower density than water. In this work, the role of buoyancy force on CBLA transport in water-saturated sandbox was investigated, and the force model of CBLA in pore space was developed. Furthermore, the density regulation of trichloroethylene (TCE) in sandbox was studied using CBLA. We found that buoyancy plays a significant role compared with other interaction forces in the transport of CBLA, and the sine of the rising angle of CBLA has a significant correlation with the force on CBLA. CBLA at 5 times the volume of TCE displaced the TCE at the bottom of the tank by upward mobility and the maximum concentration dramatically decreased to 31.23 mg/L. These results can be used for predicting the transport of CBLA (as well as other remediation reagents that are less dense than water) in aquifer and are beneficial to the subsequent remediation application of CBLA in actual contaminated sites.

Keywords: DNAPLs; Density modification; Force model; Remediation; Transport and distribution.