Evaluation of zerovalent zinc for treatment of 1,2,3-trichloropropane-contaminated groundwater: Laboratory and field assessment

The efficacy and feasibility of using zerovalent zinc (ZVZ) to treat 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP)-contaminated groundwater was assessed in laboratory and field experiments. In the first portion of the study, the reactivity of commercially available granular ZVZ toward TCP was measured in bench-scale batch-reactor and column experiments. These results were used to design columns for on-site pilot-scale treatment of contaminated groundwater at a site in Southern California. Two of the ZVZ materials tested were found to produce relatively high rates of TCP degradation as well as predictable behavior when scaling from bench-scale to field testing. In addition, there was little decrease in the rates of TCP degradation over the duration of field testing. Finally, no secondary impacts to water quality were identified. The results suggest that ZVZ may be an effective and feasible material for use in engineered treatment systems, perhaps including permeable reactive barriers. Ground Water Monitoring & Remediation.