title: A novel in situ technology for the treatment of nitrate contaminated groundwater.
abstract: A novel in situ membrane technology was developed to remove nitrate (NO3-) from groundwater. Membrane-fed hydrogen gas (H2) was used as an electron donor to stimulate denitrification. A flow-through reactor fit with six hollow-fiber membranes (surface area = 93 cm2) was designed to simulate groundwater flowing through an aquifer with a velocity of 0.3 m/day. This membrane technology supported excellent NO3- and nitrite (NO2-) removal once H2 and carbon limitations were corrected. The membrane module achieved a maximum H2 flux of 1.79 x 10(-2) mg H2/m2 s, which was sufficient to completely remove 16.4 mg/L NO3(-)-N from a synthetic groundwater with no NO2- accumulation. In addition, this model in situ treatment process produced a high quality water containing <0.5 mg/L total organic carbon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455-0220, USA.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Haugen
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Semmens
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Novak
mesh_terms: D019149:Bioreactors; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009566:Nitrates / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D009566:Nitrates; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014873:Water Pollutants