Project ID: 2006HI138B

Title: Fate and Transport of Contaminants in a Stream-Aquifer System

Project Type: Research

Start Date: 03/01/2006

End Date: 02/28/2007

Congressional District: HI 1st

Focus Categories: Geochemical Processes, Solute Transport, Sediments

Keywords: clogging, solute, transport, biogeochemical, colmation layer

Principal Investigator: Ray, Chittaranjan

Federal Funds: $15,548

Non-Federal Matching Funds: $31,269

Abstract: Redox conditions in sediments play a major role in the degradation of pollutants present in pore water. Sediment redox has been strongly attributed to the degradation of chlorinated and non-chlorinated solvents. The same concept is applicable to riverbank filtration (RBF) systems. In RBF systems, wells placed along riverbanks (or well laterals directly beneath riverbeds) induce the river water to flow to the screen zone of the wells. During the passage through the sediments and aquifer material, many of the contaminants present in river water degrade to harmless or less harmful products. Many RBF systems are successfully operating in Europe and the United States for many decades. Now, many populated industrial and developing countries are trying to use RBF for water supply. The source waters in these countries are highly polluted with industrial chemicals and sewage. Further, scouring and clogging are some of the problems that the RBF systems must encounter. This proposal aims at evaluating the riverbed scouring and clogging on the redox dynamics in the flow path of water to the wells. Controlled laboratory measurements will be made to study the dynamics of redox conditions in a stream-aquifer system. The data will be useful to water utilities and regulatory agency personnel in determining the effectiveness of RBF in extreme environmental settings. The project will train a Ph.D. student in conducting research and in publishing the results.

Progress/Completion Report, PDF