Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 26, 2026

Experimental Column Setup for Studying Anaerobic Biogeochemical Interactions Between Iron (Oxy)Hydroxides, Trace Elements, and Bacteria
Published on: December 19, 2017
Pilot-scale Fenton's oxidation of organic contaminants in groundwater using autochthonous iron
John Bergendahl1, Stephanie Hubbard, Domenico Grasso
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, MA 01609, USA. jberg@wpi.edu
Abstract:
A pilot-scale study was conducted to evaluate Fenton's oxidation with autochthonous iron for treating extracted groundwater contaminated with organic solvents. Based on a previous bench-scale treatability study, a batch reactor pilot-plant system was designed and operated to evaluate the effects of various parameters including pH, iron concentration, hydrogen peroxide dose, and reaction time. Effective system conditions were found to be pH of 3.5, hydrogen peroxide to iron molar ratio of 75/1, and autochthonous iron at an average concentration of 10mg/l. The data collected demonstrate the effectiveness of Fenton's oxidation using autochthonous iron for treating this contaminated water, with reductions to below method detection limits for many contaminants. This pilot-scale study provided kinetic rate constants for predicting contaminant disappearance, information necessary for designing a full-scale Fenton's oxidation system.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles
Acid Mine Drainage
Microbial Leaching
Microbial Wastewater Treatment
Precipitation and Co-precipitation

