An Enhanced Remediation Technology for Contaminated Groundwater

The removal efficiencies of pollutants in the electrokinetic remediation with a new PRB (Permeable Reactive Barrier) method was studied for the remediation of groundwater contaminated by Pb in this paper. The experimental results showed that the pH value has varied obviously because of the oxidation and reduction near the electrodes, i.e. the pH value near the anode changed from 6.5 to 5.9 but near the cathode it varied from 6.4 to 8.9 in the experiment process, which indicated that the condition of acidity, alkalinity and other environment factors in groundwater had varied clearly during the electrokinetic remediation process. And the removal efficiency of Pb was respectively 57.84% near the anode and 92.60% near the cathode, and the removal efficiency of COD was respectively 40.28% near the anode and 90.40% near the cathode at the end of experiment when the experimental voltage gradient was 0.35V/cm, which made known that this new enhanced electrokinetic remediation of groundwater was more effective method than that of ordinary PRB technology in groundwater.