In situ hydrothermal oxidative destruction of DNAPLS in a creosote contaminated site

Hydrous Pyrolysis / Oxidation (HPO) is an in situ thermal remediation technology that uses hot, oxygenated groundwater to completely mineralize a wide range of organic pollutants. A field demonstration of HPO was performed at a creosote contaminated site during the summer of 1997. The groundwater was heated by steam injections and oxygen was added by coinjection of compressed air. The remediation was monitored from multiple groundwater monitoring wells. Dissolved organic carbon levels increased in response to steam injections as a result of the enhanced dissolution and mobilization of the creosote into the heated groundwater. Elevated concentrations of partially oxidized organic compounds (i.e. phenols, benzoic acid, fluorenone, anthrone and 9,10- anthracenedione), decreased levels of dissolved oxygen and isotopic shifts in the dissolved inorganic pool were indicators of partial to complete oxidative destruction of the creosote in the heated aquifer as a result of the HPO process.