Chapter 4
Combination of Electrokinetics and nZVI
Remediation
Miroslav Černík, Jaroslav Hrabal, and Jaroslav Nosek
Abstract Electrogeochemical processes as a whole remedial technology have a
considerable application potential. They may be applied at sites with complex
geological conditions where hydraulic intervention is inefficient or unreliable. In
the case of ClE remediation, electrochemical processes can substantially accelerate
not only the time necessary for the process of reductive dechlorination, but they also
significantly reduce the necessary dose of principal reagents-especially costly nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles. It is of operational importance to accelerate
the transport of nZVI and its oxidation products in the electric field and to ensure the
homogeneous distribution of nZVI in the required space by suppressing the aggregation of the particles. By arranging the electrodes, it is possible to accelerate the
migration or, in contrast, stabilize the particles at a predetermined location. For
example, this effect can be used to operate geochemical reactive barriers that can
reliably replace hydraulic barriers at certain sites. At the model site, a decrease in the
measured concentrations of ClE in relation to the connection of a direct current is
demonstrated. These concentrations were measured in the monitoring boreholes that
were not directly used to infiltrate the reactants and are located between the electrodes. This demonstrates a spatial reduction in the concentrations throughout the
treated area.
Keywords Zero-valent iron · Nanoparticles · DC field · Chlorinated hydrocarbons ·
Dechlorination · Groundwater · Site applications
M. Černík (*) · J. Nosek
Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovation, Technical University of
Liberec, Liberec, Czech Republic
AQUATEST a.s., Prague, Czech Republic
e-mail: miroslav.cernik@tul.cz
J. Hrabal
MEGA a.s., Stráž pod Ralskem, Czech Republic
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
J. Filip et al. (eds.), Advanced Nano-Bio Technologies for Water and Soil Treatment,
Applied Environmental Science and Engineering for a Sustainable Future,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29840-1_4
65
Combination of Electrokinetics and nZVI
Remediation
Miroslav Černík, Jaroslav Hrabal, and Jaroslav Nosek
Abstract Electrogeochemical processes as a whole remedial technology have a
considerable application potential. They may be applied at sites with complex
geological conditions where hydraulic intervention is inefficient or unreliable. In
the case of ClE remediation, electrochemical processes can substantially accelerate
not only the time necessary for the process of reductive dechlorination, but they also
significantly reduce the necessary dose of principal reagents-especially costly nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles. It is of operational importance to accelerate
the transport of nZVI and its oxidation products in the electric field and to ensure the
homogeneous distribution of nZVI in the required space by suppressing the aggregation of the particles. By arranging the electrodes, it is possible to accelerate the
migration or, in contrast, stabilize the particles at a predetermined location. For
example, this effect can be used to operate geochemical reactive barriers that can
reliably replace hydraulic barriers at certain sites. At the model site, a decrease in the
measured concentrations of ClE in relation to the connection of a direct current is
demonstrated. These concentrations were measured in the monitoring boreholes that
were not directly used to infiltrate the reactants and are located between the electrodes. This demonstrates a spatial reduction in the concentrations throughout the
treated area.
Keywords Zero-valent iron · Nanoparticles · DC field · Chlorinated hydrocarbons ·
Dechlorination · Groundwater · Site applications
M. Černík (*) · J. Nosek
Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovation, Technical University of
Liberec, Liberec, Czech Republic
AQUATEST a.s., Prague, Czech Republic
e-mail: miroslav.cernik@tul.cz
J. Hrabal
MEGA a.s., Stráž pod Ralskem, Czech Republic
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
J. Filip et al. (eds.), Advanced Nano-Bio Technologies for Water and Soil Treatment,
Applied Environmental Science and Engineering for a Sustainable Future,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29840-1_4
65