Natural Attenuation Mechanisms and the Status of Nano-iron Technology for the Remediation of Chlorinated Solvents in Groundwater

This paper reviews natural attenuation mechanisms,and the current status and future trend of groundwater remediation for industrially contaminated sites by chlorinated solvents.Site remediation techniques has been rapidly evolved from pump and treat to most recently innovative nano-iron technology that targets on both potential source areas and dissolved plumes.Many of these promising techniques include Permeable Reactive Barrier using Zero Valent Iron(ZVI),In-Situ Chemical Oxidation(ISCO),In-Situ Chemical Reduction(ISCR) and enhanced bioremediation and monitored natural attenuation.This paper reviews the chemical mechanisms behind the nanotechnology and potential environmental risks of groundwater remediation using n-ZVI.