The study conducted by Litoclean and published in the scientific journal Science of The Total Environment, marks a significant advance in the treatment of groundwater affected by organohalogen contaminants through a multidisciplinary analysis application.
LITOCLEAN has published a study on the bioremediation of contaminated aquifers in the scientific journal Science of The Total Environment (STOTEN). This work, led by Dr. Natàlia Blázquez Pallí, head of Pilot Tests and the Laboratory of Litoclean’s Innovation Center (CIL), represents a crucial advance in the treatment of aquifers affected by chlorinated compounds. In the case of the study, the involvement of the superficial aquifer implies a high level of risk of contaminating deeper layers, exploited for supply and, consequently, of disabling their corresponding exploitation wells.
The main objectives of the project are to improve the hydrogeological and environmental characterization of the affected area in order to define a conceptual model of the contamination problem, and to carry out pilot tests to design and optimize the best remediation strategy.
The project has been distributed in phases, developing a hydrogeological and environmental characterization and interpretation, defining a robust conceptual model, and finally designing and carrying out laboratory and pilot field tests to define the optimal bioremediation strategy. Each of the phases involved a multidisciplinary research and/or technical team.
The published study has been carried out in collaboration with the BiorremUAB group of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and MAiMA of the Universitat de Barcelona, with leading researchers such as Dr. Clara Torrentó of the MAiMA group and Dr. Ernest Marco Urrea of the BioremUAB group. The research focuses on the optimization of bioremediation and chemical reduction techniques, integrating disciplines such as geology, hydrogeology, microbiology and analysis of physicochemical parameters and stable isotopes of specific compounds.
The publication is part of the Special Edition of STOTEN magazine dedicated to the international congress AquaConSoil 2023, in which LITOCLEAN took part in September 2023 with two oral presentations.
Innovation and commitment to science
The project has been carried out by a multidisciplinary team of LITOCLEAN experts such as Marçal Bosch, David Garriga, Marta González, Pedro Yáñez, Irene Janices and Arnau Puig. The research and associated trials have been led by Dr. Blázquez Pallí, in collaboration with Dr. Marco and Dr. Torrentó.
In the execution of the project, the importance of developing an accurate conceptual model in order to understand the subsurface environment and of conducting rigorous treatability and pilot tests to ensure the success of the project has been emphasized.
