Understanding Groundwater Mineralization Changes of a Belgian Chalky Aquifer in the Presence of 1,1,1-Trichloroethane Degradation Reactions

Abstract

An abandoned industrial site in Belgium, located in the catchment of a chalk aquifer mainly used for drinking water, has been investigated for groundwater pollution due to a mixture of chlorinated solvents with mainly 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA) at high concentrations. The observed elevated groundwater mineralization was partly explained by chemical reactions associated with hydrolysis and dehydrohalogenation (HY/DH) of 1,1,1-TCA in the chalky aquifer. Leaching of soluble compounds from a backfilled layer located in the site could also have influenced the groundwater composition. In this context, the objective of this study was to investigate the hydrochemical processes controlling groundwater mineralization through a characterization of the backfill and groundwater chemical composition. This is essential in the context of required site remediation to define appropriate remediation measures to soil and groundwater. Groundwater samples were collected for chemical analyses of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons, major ions, and several minor ones. X-Ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and a leaching test according to CEN/TS 14405 norm were carried out on the backfill soil. δ34S and δ18O of sulphate in groundwater and in the backfill eluates were also compared. Both effects influencing the groundwater hydrochemistry around the site were clarified. First, calcite dissolution under the 1,1,1-TCA degradation reactions results in a water mineralization increase. It was assessed by geochemical batch simulations based on observed data. Second, sulphate and calcium released from the backfill have reached the groundwater. The leaching test provided an estimation of the minimal released quantities.