Ground Water Issue: Steam Injection for Soil and Aquifer Remediation

Innovative technologies for subsurface remediation, including in situ techniques based on heating the subsurface to enhance the recovery of organic contaminants, are increasingly being evaluated for use at specific sites as the limitations to the conventionally-used techniques are recognized. The purpose of this Issue Paper is to provide to those involved in assessing remediation technologies for specific sites basic technical information on the use of steam injection for the remediation of soils and aquifers that are contaminated by volatile or semivolatile organic compounds. A related Issue Paper, entitled “How Heat Can Enhance In-Situ Soil and Aquifer Remediation: Important Chemical Properties and Guidance on Choosing the Appropriate Technique” (Davis, 1997), discusses the properties of some organic chemicals commonly found at contaminated sites, how these properties are affected by the presence of the chemical in a porous media, and how heat can enhance the recovery of these chemicals from the subsurface. The Issue Paper also provides information on three general types of heat-based remediation systems, and some guidance on which technique is most appropriate for different soil and aquifer conditions and for different organic chemicals.