title: Natural zeolite permeable treatment wall for removing Sr-90 from groundwater.
abstract: Experimental and modeling studies were completed to investigate the potential performance of a sorbing permeable treatment wall (PTW) comprised of natural zeolite for  removal of strontium-90 (Sr-90) from groundwater at the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) near Buffalo, NY. Multiple column tests were performed at the University at Buffalo (UB) and WVDP for periods ranging from 6 months to 2 years; UB columns were supplied with synthetic groundwater referenced to anticipated field conditions, while radioactive groundwater obtained on site was used for the WVDP columns. The primary focus was on quantifying the competitive cation reactions among five cations (Na(+), K(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Sr(2+)) and Sr-90 with data obtained from the column studies used to estimate Gaines-Thomas (GT) selectivity coefficients. The resulting six-solute transport model provided flexibility to explore the influence of PTW parameters on long-term PTW performance, including variations in Sr-90 concentrations and groundwater geochemistry. The natural zeolite PTW is a viable method for  in situ removal of Sr-90 from groundwater and  potentially applicable to other sites contaminated by Sr-90.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, University at Buffalo, 149 Hartwell Road, Buffalo, New York 14216, United States. senecasms@gmail.com
authors.forename: Shannon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Seneca
authors.forename: Alan J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rabideau
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002138:Calibration; D002412:Cations; D003198:Computer Simulation; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010539:Permeability; D013326:Strontium Radioisotopes; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018508:Water Purification; D017641:Zeolites / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D013326:Strontium Radioisotopes; D014875:Water Pollutants, Radioactive; D017641:Zeolites