Field demonstration of polymer-amended in situ chemical oxidation (PA-ISCO)

The methods and results of the first field-scale demonstration of polymer-amended in situ chemical oxidation (PA-ISCO) are presented. The demonstration took place at MCB CAMLEJ (Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune) Operable Unit (OU) 15, Site 88, in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina between October and December 2010. PA-ISCO was developed as an alternative treatment approach that utilizes viscosity-modified fluids to improve the in situ delivery and distribution (i.e. sweep-efficiency) of chemical oxidants within texturally heterogeneous contaminated aquifers. The enhanced viscosity of the fluid mitigates the effects of preferential flows, improving sweep-efficiency and enhancing the subsurface contact between the injected oxidant and the target contamination within the treatment zone. The PA-ISCO fluid formulation used in this demonstration included sodium permanganate as oxidant, xanthan gum biopolymer as a shear-thinning viscosifier, and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) as an anti-coagulant. It was the goal of this demonstration to validate the utility of PA-ISCO within a heterogeneous aquifer. An approximate 100% improvement in sweep-efficiency was achieved for the PA-ISCO fluid, as compared to a permanganate-only injection within an adjacent control plot.