Electrokinetic Remediation for Environmental Security and Sustainability

21Electrokinetic and Electrochemical Removal of Chlorinated Ethenes: Application in Low‐ and High‐Permeability Saturated Soils

Bente H. Hyldegaard and Lisbeth M. Ottosen

Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Lyngby, Denmark

21.1 Introduction

To engineer remediation efforts, e.g. the use of electric currents for environmental security and sustainability, it is essential to sufficiently understand the contaminant of concern and the environmental settings. Only then robust remedies can be designed, which can cope with the complexity and diversity of contaminated sites.

In this chapter, the focus is on in situ remediation using electric currents to remove hazardous chlorinated ethenes, which are detected in soils of both low and high permeability. Soils with low and high permeability differ in characteristics, challenges, and thereby requirements for remediation. Using electric currents may overcome some of the challenges currently faced during the removal of chlorinated ethenes in both low‐ and high‐permeability soils. However, even when applying electric currents, the relevant processes differ in these zones with different permeabilities. In low‐permeability soils, electrokinetics offer advantages due to improved transport and thereby deliver amendments for subsequent degradation of chlorinated ethenes. In high‐permeability soils, electrochemically generated reactants can transform chlorinated ethenes directly. The concepts of applied electrokinetics ...