Practical Aspects of In-Situ Electrokinetic Extraction

• Published in: Journal of environmental engineering (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 125; no. 1; pp. 27 - 35
• Main Authors: Alshawabkeh, Akram N, Yeung, Albert T, Bricka, Mark R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reston, VA American Society of Civil Engineers 01-01-1999
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Decontamination. Miscellaneous; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Exact sciences and technology; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Soil and sediments pollution; TECHNICAL PAPERS; Laboratory study; Methodology; Electrochemical method; Electrokinetics; Clay soil; Sandy soil; Soil pollution; Pilot plant scale; Electric field; Decontamination; Fine grain structure; Economic study; Cost analysis
• ISSN: 0733-9372; 1943-7870
• DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(1999)125:1(27)

Electrokinetic extraction is an emerging technology that can be used to remove contaminants from heterogeneous fine-grained soils in situ. Contaminants in the subsurface are removed by the application of a direct-current electric field across the contaminated soil. The primary contaminant transport and removal mechanisms are electroosmotic advection and ionic migration. However, there are many complex physicochemical reactions occurring simultaneously during the process that may enhance or retard the cleanup process. Nonetheless, the viability of the technology has been established by results obtained from many bench-scale and large-scale laboratory and pilot-scale field experiments performed on various soils. This paper will review the fundamental concepts of the technology and discuss some important practical aspects and design criteria of the technology for field implementations. An example on cost analysis of the technology is also presented to demonstrate the use of various equations presented in the paper and to illustrate the cost-effectiveness of the technology.