Solvent Flushing Salil Arora Bethany Canamore Greg Weipert

What Is It? Soil flushing is a treatment technology that floods contaminated soils with a solution that removes the contaminants. The treatment of the soil is usually done without any excavation of the soil. The flushing solution is either water only or water plus additives such as soaps.

How Is It used? The contaminated area is found through testing and sampling. Wells are dug on opposite sides of a contaminated site. Alcohol is added to a water solvent to increase its contaminant solubility.

How Is It used? As the solvent travels through the soil it carries the contaminant with it to the recovery well downstream where it is pumped out to the surface. The solvent and contaminant solution are treated and disposed of. The solvent is pumped into the injection well.

Soil Flushing Process

Contaminants That Can Be Treated By Soil Flushing ContaminantsIndustries where used Heavy MetalsMetal Plating Halogenated SolventsDry Cleaning AromaticsWood Treating GasolineAutomobile PCB’sPesticide

Advantages This technique is cheaper and more effective than complete excavation of the site. Solvent flushing can be implemented around permanent structures on the contaminated site making it versatile and cost effective.

Disadvantages Requires greater understanding of the site geology than other technologies. Only effective on soil with low clay or silt content.

Will It Work At Every Site?? Soil flushing works best at porous sites that permit the wash solution to move through it. The flushing solution cannot make contact with the contaminates at sites that are non porous (clay,silt). The porosity limits or enhances the overall effectiveness of the process.