Potential for in situ chemical oxidation of acid extractable organics in oil sands process affected groundwater.
The process of bitumen extraction from oil sands in Alberta, Canada leads to an accumulation of toxic acid-extractable organics (AEOs) in oil sands process water (OSPW). Infiltration of OSPW from tailings ponds and from their retaining sand dykes and subsequent transport towards surface water has occurred. Given the apparent lack of significant natural attenuation of AEOs in groundwater, remediation may be required. This laboratory study evaluates the potential use of unactivated persulfate and permanganate as in situ oxidation agents for remediation of AEOs in groundwater. Naphthenic acids (NAs; CnH2n+zO2), which are a component of the acutely toxic AEOs, were degraded by both oxidants in OSPW samples. Permanganate oxidation yielded some residual dissolved organic carbon (DOC) whereas persulfate mineralized the AEO compounds with less residual DOC. Acid-extractable organics from oxidized OSPW had essentially no Microtox toxicity.
Dept. of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada. Electronic address: vsohrabi@uwaterloo.ca.
V
V
Sohrabi
M S
MS
Ross
J W
JW
Martin
J F
JF
Barker
D000416:Alberta; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry*; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D061329:Oil and Gas Fields; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010578:Petroleum / Q000032:analysis; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry
D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D007220:Industrial Waste; D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; C046170:naphthenic acid
Naphthenic acids; Permanganate; Persulfate; Remediation