Daniel Elliott (New Jersey) co-authored the article entitled "Selectivity of Nano Zerovalent Iron in In Situ Chemical Reduction: Challenges and Improvements," which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Remediation, Volume 26, Issue 4, Pages 27-40, September 6, 2016.

The article looks at how natural reductant demand for Nano Zerovalent Iron (nZVI) negatively impacts its selectivity and longevity, thereby presenting an obstacle to a broader application of the technology. The authors review biogeochemical processes and data from past nZVI studies, and present strategies to improve selectivity and longevity. The other co-authors are: Dimin Fan, Ph.D., U.S. EPA; Denis M. O'Carroll, Ph.D., P.E., University of New South Wales (Australia); Zhong Xiong, Ph.D., P.E., Haley & Aldrich, Inc.; Paul G. Tratnyek, Ph.D. and Richard L. Johnson, Ph.D., Oregon Health & Science University; and, Ariel Nunez Garcia, Ph.D. candidate, Western University (Canada).

Abstract:

Nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) is a promising remediation technology utilizing in situ chemical reduction (ISCR) to clean up contaminated groundwater at hazardous waste sites. The small particle size and large surface area of nZVI result in high reactivity and rapid destruction of contaminants. Over the past 20 years, a great deal of research has advanced the nZVI technology from bench-scale tests to field-scale applications. However, to date, the overall number of well-characterized nZVI field deployments is still small compared to other alternative remedies that are more widely applied. Apart from the relatively high material cost of nZVI and questions regarding possible nanotoxicological side effects, one of the major obstacles to the widespread utilization of nZVI in the field is its short persistence in the environment due to natural reductant demand (NRD). The NRD for nZVI is predominantly due to reduction of water, but other reactions with naturally present oxidants (e.g., oxygen) occur, resulting in situ conditions that are reducing (high in ferrous iron phases and H2) but with little or no Fe(0). This article reviews the main biogeochemical processes that determine the selectivity and longevity of nZVI, summarizes data from prior (laboratory and field) studies on the longevity of various common types of nZVI, and describes modifications of nZVI that could improve its selectivity and longevity for full-scale applications of ISCR. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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For more information regarding the article, visit: Remediation

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