ABSTRACT
Nanoremediation of contaminated aquifers often offers a cost-effective alternative to conventional treatment options. In this chapter, the basic working principles of nanoremediation are illustrated. Different mechanisms for contaminant removal, like oxidative or reductive chemical degradation or immobilization, are described and examples are given where the combination of adsorptive immobilization and chemical degradation markedly enhances remediation performance to achieve sustainable detoxification. For the formation of a functional in situ reactive zone, sufficient injectability and underground mobility of the nano- and microparticles must be ensured. Therefore, the principles determining particle behavior in suspension and their retention in the aquifer are described. Efficient application of nanoremediation requires detailed knowledge about the site groundwater conditions and the interactions between porous media and particles. Therefore, preliminary on-site and laboratory studies are performed to adjust suspension and injection parameters to each site. The chapter also explains how results of those studies can be utilized to plan the nanoremediation application. Finally, a case study is shown to give an insight in the capabilities of nanoremediation now and in the future.
