Remediation Monitoring

Although remediation strategies are commonly implemented for contaminated sites, the lack of clear understanding of the links between subsurface biogeochemical and hydrological properties and processes often hinder efficient and effective remediation. In addition to natural variabilities of biogeochemical-hydrogeological properties under static conditions, many remediation approaches that are being considered, tested, or implemented also induce dynamic transformations in the system. Examples where strongly coupled processes play a large role in remediation success include, among others, in-situ redox manipulation for removal of chlorinated hydrocarbons and bioremediation. Potential alterations due to remediation treatments include, for example, dissolution and precipitation of minerals, gas evolution, biofilm generation, and changes in permeability and porosity.

We are investigating the capability to characterize and monitor changes in hydrological-biogeochemical properties/processes using geophysical measurements at both the laboratory column and the field-scales. A better understanding of the sensitivity of geophysical methods to such transformations is necessary in order to use these methods to improve the design of remediation schemes, to determine the subsurface treatment zone of influence, or ultimately to assess the efficacy of active remediation at many contaminated sites.

DOE Funding Sponsors:

• Environmental Management Science Program DE-AC03-76SF00098 (Hubbard)
• DOE ERSP Geophysical Monitoring of Push Pull Tests at the NABIR ORNL field Research Center (Hubbard)
• Chromium Bioreduction Stydy at Hanford (Hazen)
• Multiscale Characterization and Prediction of Biogeochemical-hydrogoical processes

Publications, Abstracts and Presentations

Hubbard, S. K. Williams, J. Chen, J. Peterson, T. Scheibe, S. Mukhopadhyay, E. Sonnenthal and C. Steefel, Improved Understanding of Natural System Processes through Coupling of Geophysical Characterization and Numerical Modeling Approaches, Eos Trans. AGU, 87(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Invited Talk, Abstract H41G-01, 2006.

Chen, J., S. Hubbard, K. Williams, A. Kemna, L. Slater and S. Pride, A Stochastic Framework for Geochemical Parameter Estimation using Geophysical Methods: Development and Application, Eos Trans. AGU, 87(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract H44B-04, 2006.

Sneider, D., S. Hubbard, M. Haney, G. Bawden, P. Hatchell, and A. Revil, Advanced Noninvasive Geophysial Monitoring Techniques, Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci., 35, 653-683, 2007.

Williams, K.H., A. Kemna, P. Long, J. Druhan, S. Hubbard, and J. Banfield, Following the Progress of Subsurface Bioremediation: Insights Gained from Field-Scale Geoelectrical Monitoring, Eos Trans. AGU, 87(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract, NS21A-06, 2006.

Scheibe, T., Y. Fang, C.J. Murray, E. E. Roden, J. Chen, Y. Chien, S.C. Brooks, S. S. Hubbard, Transport and biogeochemical reactions of metals in a and chemically heterogeneous aquifer, Geosphere, 2(4), doi: 10.1130/GES00029.1, 2006

D. Ntarlagiannis, K. H. Williams, L. Slater and S. Hubbard, The low frequency response to microbial induced sulfide precipitation, J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 110, No. G2, G02009, 10.1029/2005JG000024, 2005.

Hubbard, S. J. Peterson, J. Chen, K.H. Williams, M. Conrad, B. Fabishenko, P. Long, A. Willett, T. Hazen, Geophysical monitoring of Cr(VI) Bioreduction at the Hanford 100H Site, Eos. Trans. AGU, Fall AGU, Abstract H44C-03, 2005.

Williams, K.H., Ntarlagiannis, D., L.D. Slater, A. Dohnalkova, S. S. Hubbard and J. F. Banfield, Geophysical Imaging of Stimulated Microbial Biomineralization Environ. Sci. Technol.; 2005; 39(19) pp 7592 - 7600; (Article) DOI: 10.1021/es0504035

ES&T A-pages interview: 'Geophysical Techniques help to Monitor Microbial Remediation' http://pubs.acs.org/subscribe/journals/esthag-w/2005/aug/tech/rp_microbes.html

Williams, K., S. Hubbard, and J. Banfield, Monitoring microbial chemotaxis and sulfate reduction using the self-potential method, Eos Trans. AGU, 86(18), Jt. Assem. Suppl., Abstract NS51B-07, 2005

Long, P.E. et al., Acceleration of Field-Scale Bioreduction of U(VI) in a Shallow Alluvial Aquifer: Temporal and Spatial Evolution of Biogeochemistry, Nabir PI Meeting, April 26, 2005, Virginia. pdf file.

Hubbard, S., J. Chen, K. Williams, J. Peterson and Y. Rubin, Enviromental and Agricultural Applications of GPR, International Workshop on Ground Penetrating Radar Invited Keynote, May 2-4, Delft, Netherlands, 2005 (PDF file).

Hubbard, S.S., K. Williams, J. Peterson, B. Faybishenko, J. Istok, A. Kemna, D. Watson, A. Willett, S. Koenigsberg and T. Hazen, Use of High Resolution Geophysical Methods for Investigating the Distribution and Impacts of Remediation Amendments in Subsurface Media, National Groundwater Association Groundwater Summit, April 17-20, 2005, San Antonio, Tx. pdf file

Kenneth H. Williams, Dimitrios Ntarlagiannis, Phil Long, Alice Dohnalkova, Susan S. Hubbard and Jillian F. Banfield, 2004 Invited talk, Remote Sensing of Subsurface Microbial Transformations, Eos Trans. AGU, 85(47), Fall Meet. Suppl., B51F-01, 2004. pdf file.

Hubbard, S.S. and K. Williams, Geophysical Monitoring of Gas Stimulation during Remediation, WM04 Symposium Proceedings, Tuscon, AZ, March 2004. pdf file

Williams, K.H., S. Hubbard, D. Ntarlagiannis, L.D. Slater, and J.F. Banfield, Monitoring microbe-induced sulfide precipitation under dynamic flow conditions using multiple geophysical techniques, Eos. Trans. AGU Spring Meet. Suppl., 2004. Abstract

Hazen, T.C., D. Joyner, S. Borglin, B. Faybishenko, J. Wan, T. Tokunaga, S. Hubbard, K. Williams, M. Firestone, W. Brodie, P. Hong, A. Willet and S. Koenigsberg, Field Investigations of Lactate-Stimulated Bioreduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) at Hanford 100H, Remediation Chlorinated and of Recalitrant Compounds, Battelle Conference, Monterey, May 2004. Abstract

Ntarlagiannis, D., K. Williams, L. Slater and S. Hubbard, IP response of bacterially-induced sulfide mineral precipitation, Eos. Trans. AGU Suppl., 2004. Abstract

Linde, N., S. Finsterle, and S. Hubbard, Invesion of hydrological tracer data constained by tomographic data, Eos. Trans. AGU, Spring Meet. Suppl, 2004. Abstract

Chen, J., S. Hubbard, M. Fienen, D. Watson, and T.L. Mehlhorn, Estimating hydrogeological zonation at a NABIR field research center study site using high-resolution geophysical data and Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods, Eos. Trans. AGU 84(46), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract H21F-04, 2003. Abstract

Hubbard, S.S., K. H. Williams, B. Mailloux, E. Majer, Monitoring of microbially-induced physical property changes using geophysical data, Invited Presentation, AGU 83(19), Spring Meet. Suppl., Abstract # H21A-02, 2002 S. Abstract

Williams K.H., et al., 2004 - Summary of EMSP project results: Monitoring Sulfide Precipitation using Multiple Geophysical Methods - large file: POSTER