This book provides the reader with the comprehensive view necessary to understand and critically evaluate the design, implementation, and monitoring of phytoremediation at sites characterized by contaminated groundwater. Part I presents the historical foundation of the interaction between plants and groundwater, introduces fundamental groundwater concepts for plant physiologists, and introduces basic plant physiology for hydrogeologists. Part II presents information on how to assess, design, implement, and monitor phytoremediation projects for hydrologic control. Part III presents how plants take up and detoxify a wide range of organic xenobiotics in contaminated groundwater systems, and provides various approaches on how this can be assessed and monitored. Throughout, concepts are emphasized with numerous case studies, illustrations and pertinent literature citations.
Introduction to Phytoremediation of Contaminated Groundwater
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James E. Landmeyer
Introduction to Phytoremediation of Contaminated Groundwater Historical Foundation, Hydrologic Control, and Contaminant Remediation
Dr. James E. Landmeyer U.S. Geological Survey South Carolina Water Science Center 720 Gracern Road Columbia, SC 29210 USA
[email protected]
This volume was produced under a cooperative research and development agreement between the U.S. Geological Survey and Springer Science+Business Media, B.V. Disclaimer: Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
ISBN 978-94-007-1956-9 e-ISBN 978-94-007-1957-6 DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-1957-6 Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York Library of Congress Control Number: 2011937578 # Springer ScienceþBusiness Media B.V. 2012 No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Cover image: # 2011 JupiterImages Corporation Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
The deeper the roots, the higher the reach To Lori, Kaylee, and Ava– May our roots always find deep water.
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Preface
“Nature is driven by water” Leonardo da Vinci (from Richter 1888) Groundwater is one of our most important natural resources. Groundwater provides drinking water to more than 50% of the population of the United States. This fact may not surprise a domestic-well owner, but may surprise municipal water customers who drink tap water supplied by wells. A greater percentage of the population in other countries, particularly in the developing world, relies on groundwater. Groundwater usually requires minimal treatment prior to drinking as groundwater is filtered during flow through porous sediments. Moreover, groundwater can be decades to thousands of years old and, therefore, contain precipitation that fell long before the production and release of modern-day contaminants. These facts do not imply groundwater is protected from contamination. On the contrary, groundwater resources can be more vulnerable to contamination than surface water. For example, contaminant sources may be located a short vertical distance above shallow groundwater that typically is discharged to surface water or pumped by wells after only a few years in the subsurface with correspondingly little time for contaminant cleansing to occur. Alternatively, the slow gr