To develop the MULTIBARRIER concept for treatment of mixed pollution on a laboratory scale up to the scale of a container pilot system and to evaluate the concept for field application.
To select and find microbial populations suitable for the MULTIBARRIER technology.
To optimise the performance of the MULTIBARRIER communities by adequately supplementing growth-promoting additives.
To understand the interactions between the key-components (chemistry, biology, physics) of the MULTIBARRIER and define occurring physico-(bio)chemical xenobiotic removal/degradation pathways.
To characterise and monitor the MULTIBARRIER microbial communities.
To define a full-scale implementation strategy of a MULTIBARRIER.
Project
Summary:
Groundwater polluted with complex mixtures of different pollutants constitutes a major threat to European groundwater resources. Permeable barrier technology is a sustainable in situ system to reduce risks associated with polluted water flowing in the direction of important groundwater resources. However, plumes polluted with pollutant mixtures are non-treatable using the currently available barrier technology. This project aims to develop and examine the feasibility of a Multifunctional Permeable Barrier (MULTIBARRIER) which combines different principles of barrier technology, namely the removal of pollutants based on both physico-chemical (zero valent iron for chemical reductive dechlorination/ sorbing materials) and biological activities (biofilm on MULTIBARRIER material) in order to treat mixed polluted plumes. The project foresees the development of the MULTIBARRIER from laboratory scale to pilot scale and includes the selective enrichment of specifically designed biofilm communities. Furthermore, it includes characterisation of the microbial populations involved, the (bio)chemical/ biological interactions taking place and the removal/degradation pathways of the pollutants.
Dr Stefan Gödeke