ORGANIC CONTAMINANT REMEDIATION IN URBAN GROUNDWATER

Abstract

The historical development and current status of groundwater organic contaminant remediation is reviewed. Such development awareness underpins effective implementation of current and future remediation strategies. Significant remediation has been attempted since the 1980s with the {US} initially pre-eminent following a widespread programme of pumpand- treat that later developed to more innovativein situtechnologies aimed at accelerating source mass removal or control. The emergence of the {NAPL} (non-aqueous phase liquid) paradigm in the 1980s was critical to both understanding the failings of pump-and-treat and later remediation strategies that recognized the importance of separate remedial strategies for source and dissolved plume zones. A plethora ofin situtechnologies have emerged over the past two decades or so including vapour-based methods, enhanced mass removal chemical-based methods, monitored and enhanced natural attenuation (bioremediation) and more passive technologies such as permeable reactive barriers. A summary of remediation issues is presented that requires on-going consideration for remediation efforts to remain central to the sustainable management of urban groundwater resources.