Permeability losses and its effect on the hydrodynamics and solute transport in zero-valent iron permeable reactive barrier

Permeable reactive barrier (PRB) is a well-known technology for in situ subsurface remediation as it is capable of treating large contaminant plumes cost-effectively. Zero-valent iron (ZVI) is a reactive material that has been extensively used in PRB as it is inexpensive and suitable for treating various kinds of contaminants, e.g., hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Despite the facts that ZVI–PRB has been utilized in groundwater remediation technology for more than two decades, the complex mechanisms that occur in the treatment process need further studies. One of the significant issues that need to be addressed, which is intimately related to the hydrodynamic of ZVI–PRB, is the rate of mineral precipitation and, permeability/porosity reduction within the PRB. [Continues.]