Formatted Title
Pushing beyond Limits, Engineered Phytoremediation Provides Cost-Effective, Nature-Based, Sustainable Remediation Alternative
Background/Objectives
Phytoremediation has been used in the environmental industry for nearly 40 years providing a sustainable, nature-based approach for addressing impacts to surface water (engineered wetlands), shallow soil, and shallow groundwater. However, for many groundwater remediation sites multiple factors have historically been considered limiting factors when evaluating the effectiveness and therefore applicability of phytoremediation. Some of these limiting factors include: the ability to reach groundwater deeper than approximately 10-15 ft, the ability to treat groundwater in fractured rock aquifers, phytotoxic contaminant concentrations, and the lack of remedial effect during dormancy.
Approach/Activities
As phytoremediation technologies have evolved and matured, numerous advances have been developed within the phytoremediation community over the past 10-20 years that can be used to help overcome many of the common historically perceived limitations thereby expanding the potential sites and conditions for which phytoremediation can be a feasible, cost-effective, sustainable nature-based remedial alternative. Examples of some of these advances include the development of salt and metals tolerant tree species, the addition of endophytes to enhance phytoremediation effectiveness, and the use of alternative planting methods that allows for the extraction of targeted groundwater intervals. Additionally, the development of a robust conceptual site model to include phytoremediation specific parameters can aid in designing a cost-effective phytoremediation system that can push beyond what many have historically considered limitations. This talk will include completed cases studies to present methods that were used to enable the use of phytoremediation for addressing contaminated water underlying a clear water bearing zone, groundwater as deep as 115 ft bgs including in fractured rock settings, and groundwater with concentrations indicative of the presence of DNAPL.
Results/Lessons Learned
The results of the case studies to be presented in this talk will highlight how appropriately designed and constructed phytoremediation systems can not only provide hydraulic capture and contaminant mass reduction through phytosequestration/phytodegradation, but also support in situ biodegradation of some organic contaminants.