Treatment of nitric acid-, U(VI)-, and TC(VII)-contaminated groundater in intermediate-scale physical models of an in situ biobarrier

• Published in: Environmental science & technology 2009-02, Vol.43 (6)
• Main Authors: Michalsen, Mandy M., Peacock, Aaron D., Smithgal, Amanda N., White, David C., Spain, Anne M., Sanchez-Rosario, Yamil, Krumholz, Lee R., Kelly, Shelly D, Kemner, Kenneth M, McKinley, James, Heald, Steve M., Bogle, Mary Anna, Watson, David B, IstokD., Jonathan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 09 BIOMASS FUELS; BIOMASS; CONFIGURATION; ETHANOL; GENES; HYDROGEN IONS; LIMESTONE; NITRATES; NITRITES; OXIDOREDUCTASES; PH VALUE; RADIOISOTOPES; REMOVAL; SEDIMENTS; SOLUBILITY; WASTES
• ISSN: 0013-936X; 1520-5851
• DOI: 10.1021/es8012485

Metal and hydrogen ion acidity and extreme nitrate concentrations at Department of Energy legacy waste sites pose challenges for successful in situ U and Tc bioimmobilization. In this study, we investigated a potential in situ biobarrier configuration designed to neutralize pH and remove nitrate and radionuclides from nitric acid-, U-, and Tc-contaminated groundwater for over 21 months. Ethanol additions to groundwater flowing through native sediment and crushed limestone effectively increased pH (from 4.7 to 6.9), promoted removal of 116 mM nitrate, increased sediment biomass, and immobilized 94% of total U. Increased groundwater pH and significant U removal was also observed in a control column that received no added ethanol. Sequential extraction and XANES analyses showed U in this sediment to be solid-associated U(VI), and EXAFS analysis results were consistent with uranyl orthophosphate (UO{sub 2}){sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2} {center_dot} 4H{sub 2}O{sub (s)}, which may control U solubility in this system. Ratios of respiratory ubiquinones to menaquinones and copies of dissimilatory nitrite reductase genes, nirS and nirK, were at least 1 order of magnitude greater in the ethanol-stimulated system compared to the control, indicating that ethanol addition promoted growth of a largely denitrifying microbial community. Sediment 16S rRNA gene clone libraries showed that Betaproteobacteria were dominant (89%) near the source of influent acidic groundwater, whereas members of Gamma- and Alphaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes increased along the flow path as pH increased and nitrate concentrations decreased, indicating spatial shifts in community composition as a function of pH and nitrate concentrations. Results of this study support the utility of biobarriers for treating acidic radionuclide- and nitrate-contaminated groundwater.