Using a technology that injects a combination of oil and iron into groundwater, a team of engineers from Savannah River Nuclear Solutions (SRNS) has been able to reduce degreasing solvents present beneath the Savannah River Site.
According to a news release form the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management, much of the grease-cleaning solvents were released from the production buildings on the site during the nuclear arms race with the former Soviet Union and stored in clay-bottom holding reservoirs.
The release noted, however, that even though it was the best way at the time to store this type of waste, over the years the solvents began to leach into the groundwater. SRNS environmental engineer Branden Kramer said the process is relatively simple.
“It’s amazingly effective in its simplicity,” Kramer said in the release. “We’re really excited about the potential this cleanup technology presents for us and other Department of Energy sites.”
Shannan Lucero, SRNS manager for area closure projects, said in the release that the Cold War-era cleaning solvents are attracted to the oil as the iron breaks down the contamination.
Kramer said in the release that about half of the chemicals have been successfully extracted and the crews from the environmental management contractor will continue to use equipment at two primary locations where the solvents have collected.
“We know the solvents will naturally move from the water into the oil, allowing the iron to finish the job,” Kramer said. “It’s kind of like feeding your pet a pill wrapped in cheese.”
The cleanup effort often includes multi-pronged efforts that include a variety of materials, Lucero said in the release. The materials, she said, include waste both above and below the ground, with some being chemical in nature and others being radioactive.
“We’re attacking it with cost-effective, innovative and frequently low-energy, sustainable green technology,” Lucero said. “We’re confident this will lead us to achieving our long-term cleanup goals for the site.”
