Ethanol addition for enhancing denitrification at the uranium mill tailing site in Monument Valley, AZ

Andrew K. Borden; Mark L. Brusseau; K. C. Carroll; Andrew McMillan; Nihat H. Akyol; Justin Berkompas; Ziheng Miao; Fiona Jordan; Geoff Tick; W. Jody Waugh; Ed P. Glenn

doi:10.1007/s11270-011-0899-1

Ethanol addition for enhancing denitrification at the uranium mill tailing site in Monument Valley, AZ

Andrew K. Borden, Mark L. Brusseau, K. C. Carroll, Andrew McMillan, Nihat H. Akyol, Justin Berkompas, Ziheng Miao, Fiona Jordan, Geoff Tick, W. Jody Waugh, Ed P. Glenn

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Past mining and processing of uranium ore at a former uranium mining site near Monument Valley, AZ has resulted in nitrate contamination of groundwater. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of ethanol addition for enhancing the reduction of nitrate in groundwater. The results of two pilot-scale field tests showed that the concentration of nitrate decreased, while the concentration of nitrous oxide (a product of denitrification) increased. In addition, changes in aqueous concentrations of sulfate, iron, and manganese indicated that the ethanol amendment caused a change in prevailing redox conditions. The results of compound-specific stable isotope analysis for nitrate-nitrogen indicated that the nitrate concentration reductions were biologically mediated. Denitrification rate coefficients estimated for the pilot tests were approximately 50 times larger than resident-condition (non-enhanced) values obtained from prior characterization studies conducted at the site. The nitrate concentrations in the injection zone have remained at levels three orders of magnitude below the initial values for many months, indicating that the ethanol amendments had a long-term impact on the local subsurface environment.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	755-763
Number of pages	9
Journal	Water, Air, and Soil Pollution
Volume	223
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-011-0899-1
State	Published - Feb 2012

Keywords

Denitrification
Enhanced bioremediation
Groundwater quality
Natural attenuation
Stable isotopes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Environmental Engineering
Environmental Chemistry
Ecological Modeling
Water Science and Technology
Pollution

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10.1007/s11270-011-0899-1

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@article{cbd7631e7fde43c69ed354e5a88761a2,

title = "Ethanol addition for enhancing denitrification at the uranium mill tailing site in Monument Valley, AZ",

abstract = "Past mining and processing of uranium ore at a former uranium mining site near Monument Valley, AZ has resulted in nitrate contamination of groundwater. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of ethanol addition for enhancing the reduction of nitrate in groundwater. The results of two pilot-scale field tests showed that the concentration of nitrate decreased, while the concentration of nitrous oxide (a product of denitrification) increased. In addition, changes in aqueous concentrations of sulfate, iron, and manganese indicated that the ethanol amendment caused a change in prevailing redox conditions. The results of compound-specific stable isotope analysis for nitrate-nitrogen indicated that the nitrate concentration reductions were biologically mediated. Denitrification rate coefficients estimated for the pilot tests were approximately 50 times larger than resident-condition (non-enhanced) values obtained from prior characterization studies conducted at the site. The nitrate concentrations in the injection zone have remained at levels three orders of magnitude below the initial values for many months, indicating that the ethanol amendments had a long-term impact on the local subsurface environment.",

keywords = "Denitrification, Enhanced bioremediation, Groundwater quality, Natural attenuation, Stable isotopes",

author = "Borden, {Andrew K.} and Brusseau, {Mark L.} and Carroll, {K. C.} and Andrew McMillan and Akyol, {Nihat H.} and Justin Berkompas and Ziheng Miao and Fiona Jordan and Geoff Tick and Waugh, {W. Jody} and Glenn, {Ed P.}",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements This research was funded by the Department of Energy. We thank S.M. Stoller Incorporated for their invaluable support and collaboration. We thank the students of the Contaminant Transport Laboratory for their help in conducting the test and in assisting in the compiling and analysis of data.",

year = "2012",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1007/s11270-011-0899-1",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "223",

pages = "755--763",

journal = "Water, Air, and Soil Pollution",

issn = "0049-6979",

publisher = "Springer Nature",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ethanol addition for enhancing denitrification at the uranium mill tailing site in Monument Valley, AZ

AU - Borden, Andrew K.

AU - Brusseau, Mark L.

AU - Carroll, K. C.

AU - McMillan, Andrew

AU - Akyol, Nihat H.

AU - Berkompas, Justin

AU - Miao, Ziheng

AU - Jordan, Fiona

AU - Tick, Geoff

AU - Waugh, W. Jody

AU - Glenn, Ed P.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements This research was funded by the Department of Energy. We thank S.M. Stoller Incorporated for their invaluable support and collaboration. We thank the students of the Contaminant Transport Laboratory for their help in conducting the test and in assisting in the compiling and analysis of data.

PY - 2012/2

Y1 - 2012/2

N2 - Past mining and processing of uranium ore at a former uranium mining site near Monument Valley, AZ has resulted in nitrate contamination of groundwater. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of ethanol addition for enhancing the reduction of nitrate in groundwater. The results of two pilot-scale field tests showed that the concentration of nitrate decreased, while the concentration of nitrous oxide (a product of denitrification) increased. In addition, changes in aqueous concentrations of sulfate, iron, and manganese indicated that the ethanol amendment caused a change in prevailing redox conditions. The results of compound-specific stable isotope analysis for nitrate-nitrogen indicated that the nitrate concentration reductions were biologically mediated. Denitrification rate coefficients estimated for the pilot tests were approximately 50 times larger than resident-condition (non-enhanced) values obtained from prior characterization studies conducted at the site. The nitrate concentrations in the injection zone have remained at levels three orders of magnitude below the initial values for many months, indicating that the ethanol amendments had a long-term impact on the local subsurface environment.

AB - Past mining and processing of uranium ore at a former uranium mining site near Monument Valley, AZ has resulted in nitrate contamination of groundwater. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of ethanol addition for enhancing the reduction of nitrate in groundwater. The results of two pilot-scale field tests showed that the concentration of nitrate decreased, while the concentration of nitrous oxide (a product of denitrification) increased. In addition, changes in aqueous concentrations of sulfate, iron, and manganese indicated that the ethanol amendment caused a change in prevailing redox conditions. The results of compound-specific stable isotope analysis for nitrate-nitrogen indicated that the nitrate concentration reductions were biologically mediated. Denitrification rate coefficients estimated for the pilot tests were approximately 50 times larger than resident-condition (non-enhanced) values obtained from prior characterization studies conducted at the site. The nitrate concentrations in the injection zone have remained at levels three orders of magnitude below the initial values for many months, indicating that the ethanol amendments had a long-term impact on the local subsurface environment.

KW - Denitrification

KW - Enhanced bioremediation

KW - Groundwater quality

KW - Natural attenuation

KW - Stable isotopes

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Ethanol addition for enhancing denitrification at the uranium mill tailing site in Monument Valley, AZ

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Keywords

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