Abstract
Due to the complicated nature of karst aquifers, many groundwater treatment technologies are difficult to implement successfully. A particular challenge arises because sediments are ubiquitous and mobile in karst systems and may either facilitate contaminant transport or act as long-term substrates for storage via sorption. However, electrochemical remediation is a promising technology to be optimized for karst aquifers due to easy manipulation and control of groundwater chemistry as well as low cost, ability for in situ application, and performance under alternative power sources. This study investigates the effects of suspended karst sediments on the electrochemical remediation of groundwater via electro-Fenton (EF) mechanism. The EF mechanism relies on direct electrolysis (i.e., water electrolysis and ferrous iron release) and indirect, electrochemically-induced processes (i.e., Pd catalyzed H(2)O(2) production). These processes can be optimized for H(2)O(2) generation and support of its activation to hydroxyl radicals - a powerful oxidant capable of degrading and transforming a wide range of contaminants (e.g., chlorinated solvents). In this study, we tested sediments varying in concentrations of Fe, Mn and buffering capacities. When the sediments were introduced into the EF experiments, there were adverse effects on the H(2)O(2) content: at steady state (120 min), Pd catalyzed formation of H(2)O(2) decreased by 60%, 57%, and 75% in the presence of suspended sediment collected from three separate karst locations. Presented results imply that sediments' presence influences EF mechanism in electrochemical systems, but given the flexibility of the technology, it can be optimized in terms of electrode materials, current intensities and current regimes to address these challenges.