Humic acids enhanced removal of aromatic hydrocarbons from contaminated aquifers: developing a sustainable technology

Contamination by gasoline and diesel fuels is a threat to groundwater resources. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which can represent up to 60% of volume in diesel fuels are of particular concern because many of them are carcinogenic and they are persistent, especially in oxygen-limited environment. Despite the development of alternative approaches, pump and treat continues to be the leading technology for the remediation of groundwater contaminated by gasoline and diesel fuels. The efficiency of this technology is however limited by the low solubility of the aromatic hydrocarbons. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of humic acids on the removal of aromatic hydrocarbons from petroleum products in groundwater aquifers and to evaluate the potential use of humic acids, as a cost effective additive, in groundwater and soil remediation. In order to prove the feasibility of using humic acid in the field, a pilot scale experiment was conducted in a model aquifer with a very dense monitoring network, providing controlled conditions only possible in a semi-artificial system. In addition, different sources of humic acids were compared with surfactants for their ability to bind PAHs.