Natural Attenuation of Contaminants in Soils
Features
Summary
Natural attenuation has become widely recognized as an effective and low-cost alternative to more expensive engineered remediation. However, there are uncertainties about natural attenuation√s long-term effects and risks to the environment. There is a particular need to develop a high level of understanding of the natural attenuation processes in order to enable its proper implementation.
Natural Attenuation of Contaminants in Soils covers this natural process and its proper implementation. It examines the theoretical processes, case studies, protocols, numerical models, and legal aspects in the natural attenuation of organic and inorganic contaminants. The book provides information for evaluation of natural attenuation as a design tool for construction of land-based waste disposal, and as a management control mechanism for leachate plumes. It also provides information for an in situ procedure for structuring remediation options.
Table of Contents
NATURAL ATTENUATION AND GROUND CONTAMINATION
Land Use
Contaminated Ground
Pollutants and Ground Contamination
Control and Management of Pollution Plumes
Natural Attenuation and Regulatory Attitudes
SOIL COMPOSITION AND TRANSMISSION
Nature of Soil
Soil Fractions, Composition and Attenuation
Clay Minerals and Soil Fractions
Physical Characteristics and Properties
Surface Properties of Soil
SOIL-WATER SYSTEMS AND INTERACTIONS
Functional Groups and Electrical Charges
Soil-Water Energy Characteristics
Chemical Reactions in Pore Water
Interactions, Exchanges and Sorption
Chemical Buffering and Partitioning
Water Movement in Soils
Movement of Solutes
PARTITIONING AND MOBILITY OF HEAVY METALS
Inorganic Contaminants
Mobility, Availability and SPR
Interactions and Assimilation of Heavy Metals
Partitioning of Heavy Metals
Preferential Sorption and Selectivity
Soil Fractions and Sorption
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS AND SOIL-WATER SYSTEMS
Organic Chemical Contaminants
Adsorption and Bonding Mechanisms
Partitioning of Organic Chemical Pollutants
Interactions and Fate
BIOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION OF CONTAMINANTS
Types of Organisms
Classification of Microorganisms
Physical and Chemical Environmental Effects on Microorganisms
Biodegradation of Organic Chemicals
Biotransformation of Metals, Non-Metals and Radionuclides
FIELD PERFORMANCE AND ASSESSMENTS
Assessment of Potential for Natural Attenuation
Assessment of Sustainability
Procedures for Monitoring
Models to Simulate Natural Attenuation
Protocols Developed for Natural Attenuation
Case Studies of Natural Attenuation
PRESENT APPLICATION AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR NATURAL ATTENUATION
Mitigation of Contamination
Monitoring and Evidence of Success
Enhanced Natural Attenuation
Engineered Natural Attenuation
Observations on Future Applications
Concluding Remarks
Editorial Reviews
“… they produced a comprehensive text about natural attenuation processes occurring in soils. The treatment is ambitious, covering both metals and organic contaminants in roughly equal detail, and ranges from relatively fundamental to quite applied. The book is also coherent, unlike many in the environmental genre, reading as if it was written for the present purpose …The authors take an expansive view of natural attenuation, covering topics from monitored natural attenuation to various engineered approaches … many readers may find it fully satisfactory for use in practice … or as a textbook for a college class. …”
— Thomas M. Young, Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California, in Valdose Zone Journal, Vol. 5, No. 3, 2006
