Persistent Contamination

Some groundwater contamination remains difficult to remove, residing as DNAPLs or in difficult-to-treat areas such as fractured geologic media and low permeable zones.  SERDP and ESTCP efforts seek to better understand what causes persistent contamination and which methods are most effective in remediating and monitoring such sites.

Active Projects List
Project Title Start Date

A Comparison of Pump-and-Treat, Natural Attenuation, and Enhanced Biodegradation to Remediate Chlorinated Ethene-Contaminated Fractured Rock Aquifers

Project Information
Project ID: ER-1555
Principal Investigator: Dr. Allen Shapiro, U.S. Geological Survey
SERDP Jun 2007

A Practical Approach for Remediation Performance Assessment and Optimization at DNAPL Sites for Early Identification and Correction of Problems Considering Uncertainty

Project Information
Project ID: ER-2310
Principal Investigator: Dr. Jack Parker, The University of Tennessee
SERDP Jan 2013

Advanced Environmental Molecular Diagnostics to Assess, Monitor, and Predict Microbial Activities at Complicated Chlorinated Solvent Sites

Project Information
Project ID: ER-2312
Principal Investigator: Dr. Frank Löffler, University of Tennessee
SERDP Jan 2013

Assessment of the Natural Attenuation of NAPL Source Zones and Post-Treatment NAPL Source Zone Residuals

Project Information
Project ID: ER-200705
Principal Investigator: Dr. Paul Johnson, Arizona State University
ESTCP Apr 2007

Basic Research Addressing Contaminants in Low Permeability Zones

Project Information
Project ID: ER-1740
Principal Investigator: Dr. Tom Sale, Colorado State University
SERDP Oct 2010

Bioaugmentation for Aerobic Bioremediation of RDX-Contaminated Groundwater

Project Information
Project ID: ER-201207
Principal Investigator: Dr. Mandy Michalsen, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
ESTCP Mar 2012

CO2 Radiocarbon Analysis to Quantify Organic Contaminant Degradation, MNA, and Engineered Remediation Approaches

Project Information
Project ID: ER-2338
Principal Investigator: Dr. Thomas Boyd, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
SERDP Jan 2013

Combining Low-Energy Electrical Resistance Heating with Biotic and Abiotic Reactions for Treatment of Chlorinated Solvent DNAPL Source Areas

Project Information
Project ID: ER-200719
Principal Investigator: Dr. Tamzen Macbeth, CDM
ESTCP Apr 2007

Computational and Experimental Investigation of Contaminant Plume Response to DNAPL Source Zone Architecture and Depletion in Porous and Fractured Media

Project Information
Project ID: ER-1610
Principal Investigator: Dr. Edward Sudicky, University of Waterloo
SERDP Jan 2008

Contaminant Flux Reduction Barriers for Managing Difficult-to-Treat Source Zones in Unconsolidated Media

Project Information
Project ID: ER-201328
Principal Investigator: Dr. Charles Newell, GSI Environmental Inc.
ESTCP Jan 2013

Cooperative Technology Demonstration: Polymer-Enhanced Subsurface Delivery and Distribution of Permanganate

Project Information
Project ID: ER-200912
Principal Investigator: Dr. Michelle Crimi, Clarkson University
ESTCP Apr 2009

Cost-Effective and High-Resolution Subsurface Characterization Using Hydraulic Tomography

Project Information
Project ID: ER-201212
Principal Investigator: Dr. Chin Man Mok, AMEC Geomatrix, Inc.
ESTCP Mar 2012

Coupled Diffusion and Reaction Processes in Rock Matrices: Impact on Dilute Groundwater Plumes

Project Information
Project ID: ER-1685
Principal Investigator: Dr. Charles Schaefer, Shaw Environmental, Inc.
SERDP Jan 2009

DNAPL Removal from Fractured Rock Using Thermal Conductive Heating

Project Information
Project ID: ER-200715
Principal Investigator: Ms. Carmen Lebr�n, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Engineering Service Center
ESTCP Apr 2007

Decision Support System for Matrix Diffusion Modeling

Project Information
Project ID: ER-201126
Principal Investigator: Dr. Charles Newell, GSI Environmental Inc.
ESTCP Mar 2011

Demonstration and Validation of a Fractured Rock Passive Flux Meter

Project Information
Project ID: ER-200831
Principal Investigator: Dr. Kirk Hatfield, University of Florida
ESTCP Apr 2008

Demonstration of a Fractured Rock Geophysical Toolbox for Characterization and Monitoring of DNAPL Biodegradation in Fractured Rock Aquifers

Project Information
Project ID: ER-201118
Principal Investigator: Dr. Lee Slater, Rutgers University-Newark
ESTCP Mar 2011

Designing, Assessing, and Demonstrating Sustainable Bioaugmentation for Treatment of DNAPL Sources in Fractured Bedrock

Project Information
Project ID: ER-201210
Principal Investigator: Dr. Charles Schaefer, Shaw Environmental, Inc.
ESTCP Mar 2012

Determining Source Attenuation History to Support Closure by Natural Attenuation

Project Information
Project ID: ER-201032
Principal Investigator: Dr. Charles Newell, GSI Environmental Inc.
ESTCP Nov 2009

Development and Validation of a Quantitative Framework and Management Expectation Tool for the Selection of Bioremediation Approaches at Chlorinated Solvent Sites

Project Information
Project ID: ER-201129
Principal Investigator: Ms. Carmen Lebr�n, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Engineering Service Center
ESTCP Mar 2011