In Situ Stimulation of Groundwater Denitrification with Formate To Remediate Nitrate Contamination

• Published in: Environmental science & technology Vol. 35; no. 1; pp. 196 - 203
• Main Authors: Smith, Richard L, Miller, Daniel N, Brooks, Myron H, Widdowson, Mark A, Killingstad, Marc W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01-01-2001
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of waters; Biotechnology; Contamination; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Electrons; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environment and pollution; Exact sciences and technology; formate; Formates - metabolism; Fresh Water - analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Groundwater; Groundwaters; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Massachusetts; Models, Theoretical; Natural water pollution; Nitrates; Nitrates - metabolism; Nitrites - metabolism; Nitrogen; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; sodium formate; Studies; Tests; USA, Massachusetts, Cape Cod; Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism; Water pollution; Water treatment and pollution; United States; North America; Massachusetts; America; United States > US; Cape Cod Massachusetts; Microbial activity; Decontamination; In situ; Nitrites; Denitrification; Nitrates; Water pollution; Bioremediation; Performance; Electron donor; Ground water; Aquifers
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es001360p

In situ stimulation of denitrification has been proposed as a mechanism to remediate groundwater nitrate contamination. In this study, sodium formate was added to a sand and gravel aquifer on Cape Cod, MA, to test whether formate could serve as a potential electron donor for subsurface denitrification. During 16- and 10-day trials, groundwater from an anoxic nitrate-containing zone (0.5−1.5 mM) was continuously withdrawn, amended with formate and bromide, and pumped back into the aquifer. Concentrations of groundwater constituents were monitored in multilevel samplers after up to 15 m of transport by natural gradient flow. Nitrate and formate concentrations were decreased 80−100% and 60−70%, respectively, with time and subsequent travel distance, while nitrite concentrations inversely increased. The field experiment breakthrough curves were simulated with a two-dimensional site-specific model that included transport, denitrification, and microbial growth. Initial values for model parameters were obtained from laboratory incubations with aquifer core material and then refined to fit field breakthrough curves. The model and the lab results indicated that formate-enhanced nitrite reduction was nearly 4-fold slower than nitrate reduction, but in the lab, nitrite was completely consumed with sufficient exposure time. Results of this study suggest that a long-term injection of formate is necessary to test the remediation potential of this approach for nitrate contamination and that adaptation to nitrite accumulation will be a key determinative factor.