Northeastern Section - 37th Annual Meeting (March 25-27, 2002)

Paper No. 0
Presentation Time: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM

TRICHLOROETHYLENE REMEDIATION BY CYCLODEXTRIN OF SOIL FROM VIRGINIA BEACH, VA


ALLEN, Laura N., Department of Geology, Bates College, Bates College Box 4, Lewiston, ME 04240 and BOVING, Thomas B., Dept. of Geosciences, Univ of Rhode Island, Woodward Hall, Kingston, RI 02881, lallen@bates.edu

Cyclodextrin is a complexing agent with great potential for use in groundwater remediation. It has been shown to enhance the solubility of many groundwater contaminants, including chlorinated solvents such as Trichloroethylene (TCE). A field test of cyclodextrin enhanced flushing under unconstrained conditions is being planned at a military site in Virginia Beach, VA. In preparation for this field test, preliminary lab experiments were conducted using soil samples from the site. The soils were contaminated with TCE then flushed with cyclodextrin. Preliminary results indicate that cyclodextrin enhances the solubility of TCE when compared to flushing with water. Mobilization of the fine sediments in the soil due to the decrease in interfacial tension caused by the cyclodextrin was observed. These results indicate that cyclodextrin is an effective complexing agent while at the same time it has the potential to slightly alter the subsurface through the removal of fine grained sediments.