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Abstract The optimal design of groundwater circulation wells (GCWs) is challenging. The key to purifying groundwater using this technique is its proficiency and productivity. However, traditional numerical simulation methods are limited by long modeling times, random optimization schemes, and optimization results that are not comprehensive. To address these issues, this study introduced an innovative approach for the optimal design of a GCW using machine learning methods. The FloPy package was used to create and implement the MODFLOW and MODPATH models. Subsequently, the formulated models were employed to calculate the characteristic indicators of the effectiveness of the GCW operation, including the radius of influence (R) and the ratio of particle recovery (Pr). A detailed collection of 3000 datasets, including measures of operational efficiency and key elements in machine learning, was meticulously compiled into documents through model execution. The optimization models were trained and evaluated using multiple linear regression (MLR), artificial neural networks (ANN), and support vector machines (SVM). The models produced by the three approaches exhibited notable correlations between anticipated outcomes and datasets. For the optimal design of circulating well parameters, machine learning methods not only improve the optimization speed, but also expand the scope of parameter optimization. Consequently, these models were applied to optimize the configuration of the GCW at a site in Xi’an. The optimal scheme for R (Q = 293.17 m3/d, a = 6.09 m, L = 7.28 m) and optimal scheme for Pr (Q = 300 m3/d, a = 3.64 m, L = 1 m) were obtained. The combination of numerical simulations and machine learning is an effective tool for optimizing and predicting the GCW remediation effect.

The optimal design of groundwater circulation wells (GCWs) is challenging. The key to purifying groundwater using this technique is its proficiency and productivity. However, traditional numerical simulation methods are limited by long modeling times, random optimization schemes, and optimization results that are not comprehensive. To address these issues, this study introduced an innovative approach for the optimal design of a GCW using machine learning methods. The FloPy package was used to create and implement the MODFLOW and MODPATH models. Subsequently, the formulated models were employed to calculate the characteristic indicators of the effectiveness of the GCW operation, including the radius of influence (R) and the ratio of particle recovery (Pr). A detailed collection of 3000 datasets, including measures of operational efficiency and key elements in machine learning, was meticulously compiled into documents through model execution. The optimization models were trained and evaluated using multiple linear regression (MLR), artificial neural networks (ANN), and support vector machines (SVM). The models produced by the three approaches exhibited notable correlations between anticipated outcomes and datasets. For the optimal design of circulating well parameters, machine learning methods not only improve the optimization speed, but also expand the scope of parameter optimization. Consequently, these models were applied to optimize the configuration of the GCW at a site in Xi’an. The optimal scheme for R (Q = 293.17 m3/d, a = 6.09 m, L = 7.28 m) and optimal scheme for Pr (Q = 300 m3/d, a = 3.64 m, L = 1 m) were obtained. The combination of numerical simulations and machine learning is an effective tool for optimizing and predicting the GCW remediation effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzene and toluene contamination of groundwater can pose a serious threat to human health. Although extraction-treatment and other ex-situ remediation technologies can be used to rapidly reduce the concentration of pollutants at the initial stage of remediation, the inevitable tailing and rebound effects make it a research hotspot to explore more efficient in-situ remediation technologies. Groundwater circulating well is a kind of in-situ remediation technology for groundwater that is more and more widely used. This paper improves the removal efficiency of benzene and toluene by adding zero-valent iron reaction materials to the well structure, through the comparative experiment of homogeneous and heterogeneous aquifers, it is concluded that the remediation efficiency of pollutants in homogeneous aquifers is higher than that in heterogeneous aquifers. This paper provides a theoretical basis for the engineering practice of zero-valent iron reactive groundwater circulation well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative Groundwater Circulation Well (GCW) process was configured, installed, and tested for optimizing the distribution of a soluble nutrient supplement in a heterogeneous aquifer for reductive dehalogenation. This generated an in-situ bioreactor for the enhanced treatment of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs). At a site in Barcelona, Spain, trichloroethylene (TCE) concentration was found in the source area to a maximum value of up to 170 mg/L, while the degradation products like 1,2-dichloroethylene (1,2-DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC) were detected in significantly lower concentrations or were even absent. The novel system combined a vertical recirculation well (IEG-GCW®) and four multilevel injection wells (IEG-MIWs) to introduce the carbon solution into the aquifer. A 12 m deep IEG-GCW® equipped with 2 screened sections were located in the center of the 4 IEG-MIWs. The GCW induced flow moves the groundwater in an ellipsoidal recirculation cell to spread the supplements from the central GCW and from the peripheral MIWs in the aquifer body. Two multilevel sampling wells (IEG-MLSWs®) in the radius of influence (ROI) monitor the remediation process to capture hydrochemical variations along the vertical aquifer sections. A multi-source model harmonizes geological and hydrochemical information during different remediation stages, guiding the adaptation of the remediation strategy to physicochemical conditions and unmasking the decontamination mechanics induced by the remedial actions. Hydrochemical monitoring of MLWS and the stable carbon isotopic signature of cis-1,2-DCE and VC show the mobilization of secondary contamination sources triggered by recirculation during remediation, the stimulation of microbiological activity following nutrient supplement via GCW and MIWs, and the strong decrease of CAHs concentrations at different aquifer levels. Evidence from the first application at the field scale reveals a significant increase in the chloroethane biodegradation rate and short-term effectiveness of the innovative remediation strategy. GCW-MIWs synergy represents a promising strategy to degrade CAHs in a shorter period through the combination of a controllable hydraulic system, effective nutrient distribution, and the monitoring of the remediation process.

The poor remediation performance of groundwater circulation well (GCW) on semi-volatile organic contaminants (such as aniline) has severely limited its practical application. To address the challenges posed by the low volatility and solubility of these contaminants, an innovative integration of GCW with in-situ thermal remediation (ISTR) was proposed to create a thermal enhanced circulation well (GCW-ISTR) in this study. Laboratory experiments and model simulations were performed to evaluate the heat transfer and enhanced remediation effect by GCW-ISTR. Results demonstrate that the heat transfer process is controlled by the water circulation around GCW-ISTR and is influenced by factors such as aeration flow rate, groundwater velocity and aquifer permeability. Heating area is directly proportional to the seepage velocity of groundwater which can be analyzed by multiplying the water head difference between the upper and lower screens with the aquifer permeability. Therefore, the heat transfer model, based on Darcy's seepage theory and the energy conservation equation, effectively simulates the heat transfer with an error margin of less than 10%. Compared to individual GCW, GCW-ISTR exhibits a 25.8% improvement in aniline remediation efficiency, resulting in a decrease in the average concentration from 97.95 mg/L to 0.168 mg/L within 48 h, effectively mitigating the occurrence of tailing phenomena. This study provides a feasible method of enhancing the remediation of GCW on semi-volatile contaminants and is anticipated to broaden the applicability of GCW in site application., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aniline has become a common groundwater contaminant due to its wide use as a raw material in agriculture and pharmaceutical products. The current technologies for in situ remediation of aniline in groundwater are limited by the strains deficient in bacterial species, limited oxygen supply, excessive waste gas load and cost. Accordingly, we conducted a laboratory sand tank experiment to remediate groundwater contaminated with aniline by combining circulated groundwater electrolysis and in-well Rhizobium borbori , which was isolated from activated sludge. The results of the experiment indicated that the optimum concentration of aniline for Rhizobium borbori is about 5 mg/L, beyond which the maximum cell density and the highest specific growth rate decreases as the aniline concentration increases. The optimized duration for immobilizing the Rhizobium borbori into the bioreactor is 4–5 days. Though the Rhizobium borbori was strongly inhibited by the high-concentration of aniline, the immobilized bioreactor in the 350 mg/L aniline solution successfully formed biofilm. The aniline volatilization had limited influence on the observation of bioremediation performance, and the combination of circulated groundwater and in-well Rhizobium borbori supplied a steady dose of oxygen to the bioreactor efficiently degrading the entire region between the injection and extraction well. In addition, a numerical model for the sand tank remediation experiment was used to estimate the yield coefficient of oxygen to be 0.484 g/g, which indicates the presence of ammonia nitrogen as by-products; accordingly, a smaller wellbore size as well a higher circulation flow rate and intensity of current are recommended to improve the water quality. Despite the positive outcomes and potential of the newly developed technology to degrade subsurface aniline, parallel experiments should be conducted to estimate the environmental risk of the by-products and explore the controlling mechanisms of each component in this comprehensive system. [Display omitted] • A new oxygen supply method was used for in situ in-well bioremediation of aniline. • Circulated groundwater electrolysis aids aniline remediation by Rhizobium borbori. • Key parameters for biofilm culturing and substrate tolerance were reported. • A numerical model was built to depict the spatiotemporal degradation of aniline. • Effects of circulation rate, current intensity and wellbore volume were analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saltwater intrusion into coastal aquifers has become a prominent environmental concern worldwide. As such, there is a need to prepare and implement proper remediation techniques with careful planning of freshwater withdrawal systems for controlling saltwater intrusion in coastal marine and estuarine environments. This paper investigates the performance of groundwater circulation well (GCW) in controlling saltwater intrusion problems in unconfined coastal aquifers. The GCWs have been established as a promising in-situ remedial technique of contaminated groundwater. The GCW system creates vertical circulation flow by extracting groundwater from an aquifer through a screen in a single well and injecting back into the aquifer through another screen. The circulation flow induced by GCW force water in a circular pattern between abstraction and recharge screens and can be as a hydraulic barrier for controlling saltwater intrusion problem in coastal aquifers. In this study, an effort has been made to investigate the behavior of saltwater intrusion dynamics under a GCW. An experiment has been conducted in a laboratory-scale flow tank model under constant water head boundary conditions, and the variable-density flow and transport model FEMWATER is used to simulate the flow and transport processes for the experimental setup. The evaluation of the results indicates that there is no further movement of saltwater intrusion wedge towards the inland side upon implementation of GCW, and the GCW acts as a hydraulic barrier in controlling saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers. The present study reveals the GCWs system can effectively mitigate the saltwater intrusion problem in coastal regions and could be considered as one of the most efficient management strategies for controlling the problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Delineation and understanding the geology and the hydrogeology of a contaminated site, considering its chemical and its biological aspects, are fundamental requirements for successful environmental remediation. The aim of this research is to provide some evidence about the effectiveness of a hydrogeochemical geodatabase to facilitate the integrated management, representation and analysis of heterogeneous data, enabling the appropriate selection, design and optimization of an effective remediation strategy. This study investigates a new technology for the remediation of a dense non-aqueous phase liquid aged source zone, with the aim of enhancing in situ bioremediation by coupling groundwater circulation wells with a continuous production system of electron donors. The technology was verified through a pilot test carried out at an industrial site highly contaminated by chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons. The multidisciplinary conceptual model confirmed a complex hydrogeological situation, with the occurrence of active residual sources in low permeability layers. The pilot test results clearly demonstrate a significant mobilization of contaminants from the low permeability zone, and the possibility of favoring the in situ natural attenuation mechanisms based upon biological reductive dechlorination. Different information related to the hydrogeochemical sphere must be integrated and taken into consideration when developing a reliable remediation strategy for contaminated sites.

A pilot-scale study aiming to evaluate the potential use of poly-3-hydroxy-butyrate (PHB) as an electron donor source for in situ bioremediation of chlorinated hydrocarbons in groundwater was conducted. Compared with commercially available electron donors, PHB offers a restricted fermentation pathway (i.e., through acetic acid and molecular hydrogen) by avoiding the formation of any residual carbon that could potentially spoil groundwater quality. The pilot study was carried out at an industrial site in Italy, heavily contaminated by different chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs). Prior to field testing, PHB was experimentally verified as a suitable electron donor for biological reductive dechlorination processes at the investigated site by microcosm studies carried out on site aquifer material and measuring the quantitative transformation of detected CAHs to ethene. Owing to the complex geological characteristics of the aquifer, the use of a groundwater circulation well (GCW) was identified as a potential strategy to enable effective delivery and distribution of electron donors in less permeable layers and to mobilise contaminants. A 3-screened, 30-m-deep GCW coupled with an external treatment unit was installed at the site. The effect of PHB fermentation products on the in situ reductive dechlorination processes were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The results from the first 4 months of operation clearly demonstrated that the PHB fermentation products were effectively delivered to the aquifer and positively influenced the biological dechlorination activity. Indeed, an increased abundance of Dehalococcoides mccartyi (up to 6.6 fold) and reduced CAH concentrations at the installed monitoring wells were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • GCWs improve the dispersion of remedial reagents in the porous medium. • Lower diffusion coefficients of H 2 O 2 appear in low-permeability region. • Flow field driven by GCW vertically passes through low-permeability zone. • Reagents in low-permeability areas experienced accumulation and release. • Reactive transport model well describes remedial reagents migration. Limited dispersion and mass transfer because of hydrogeological heterogeneity make it difficult to deliver remedial reagents to desired locations. Remediation alternatives that overcome mass transfer limitations are required urgently to improve the efficiency of in situ remediation techniques. In this study, a combination of two-dimensional sandbox experiments and numerical simulations was used to explore the migration process of remedial reagents driven by groundwater circulating well (GCW). The influences of the circulating flow rate, concentration of the remedial reagent (H 2 O 2 as a model) and cycle operation mode on the migration of GCW enhanced remedial reagents were investigated. The flow rate of the pumped water can enhance the concentration gradient at the interface of different permeation zones. The redistribution of reagents by increased Fick diffusion significantly increased the dispersion range. The results of parametric sensitivity analysis showed that the aggregation effect of remedial reagents in the low permeability area (∼10-7 m/s) and related to the injection site. Considering remedial reagents attenuation, a reactive transport model can better simulate the concentration changes in low-permeability regions (R 2 > 0.960). The numerical simulation results showed that the principal component of the hydrodynamic field was tangential to the main axis of the target area. The diffusion coefficient of the low-permeability region was one order of magnitude lower than that of the high-permeability region (∼10-3 m/s). Thus, the low-permeability region was less affected by the hydraulic action of the GCW and had a longer retention time for remedial reagents. Specific aquifer parameters and operating modes are key engineering design factors of a GCW that should be considered in conjunction with other in situ chemical technologies. This study provides some new insights for in situ remediation of contanminated aquifers with a GCW, and suggests that (i) the hydraulic circulation driven by GCW can promote the accumulation of injected remedial agents in low permeability areas, especially injection point is located near wellbore; and (ii) residence time of reagents in contaminated areas should be comprehensively considered when chemical remediation technology is coupled with GCW. The results of this study can be used to improve the delivery efficiency of remedial reagents in contaminated aquifers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative Groundwater Circulation Well (GCW) process was configured, installed, and tested for optimizing the distribution of a soluble nutrient supplement in a heterogeneous aquifer for reductive dehalogenation. This generated an in-situ bioreactor for the enhanced treatment of chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (CAHs). At a site in Barcelona, Spain, trichloroethylene (TCE) concentration was found in the source area to a maximum value of up to 170 mg/L, while the degradation products like 1,2-dichloroethylene (1,2-DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC) were detected in significantly lower concentrations or were even absent. The novel system combined a vertical recirculation well (IEG-GCW®) and four multilevel injection wells (IEG-MIWs) to introduce the carbon solution into the aquifer. A 12 m deep IEG-GCW® equipped with 2 screened sections were located in the center of the 4 IEG-MIWs. The GCW induced flow moves the groundwater in an ellipsoidal recirculation cell to spread the supplements from the central GCW and from the peripheral MIWs in the aquifer body. Two multilevel sampling wells (IEG-MLSWs®) in the radius of influence (ROI) monitor the remediation process to capture hydrochemical variations along the vertical aquifer sections. A multi-source model harmonizes geological and hydrochemical information during different remediation stages, guiding the adaptation of the remediation strategy to physicochemical conditions and unmasking the decontamination mechanics induced by the remedial actions. Hydrochemical monitoring of MLWS and the stable carbon isotopic signature of cis-1,2-DCE and VC show the mobilization of secondary contamination sources triggered by recirculation during remediation, the stimulation of microbiological activity following nutrient supplement via GCW and MIWs, and the strong decrease of CAHs concentrations at different aquifer levels. Evidence from the first application at the field scale reveals a significant increase in the chloroethane biodegradation rate and short-term effectiveness of the innovative remediation strategy. GCW-MIWs synergy represents a promising strategy to degrade CAHs in a shorter period through the combination of a controllable hydraulic system, effective nutrient distribution, and the monitoring of the remediation process., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

• First scientific investigation about GCWs for geothermal use. • Hydrochemical and microbiological results showed low impact on Groundwater. • System can be operated under conditions previously not suitable for open systems. Groundwater circulation wells provide an alternative source of geothermal energy to more commonly used shallow open two-well systems. Their efficiency and impacts on groundwater chemistry and microbiology have not previously been investigated. We have monitored newly installed and pre-existing systems over a two-year period. Monthly hydrochemical measurements and microbial qPCR analyses of circulated water showed no changes in the groundwater composition, at least as long as no oxygen entered. None of the systems showed any clogging or precipitation, even where the groundwater had a high ferrous iron concentration, which has previously been considered to be unsuitable for open geothermal systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delineation and understanding the geology and the hydrogeology of a contaminated site, considering its chemical and its biological aspects, are fundamental requirements for successful environmental remediation. The aim of this research is to provide some evidence about the effectiveness of a hydrogeochemical geodatabase to facilitate the integrated management, representation and analysis of heterogeneous data, enabling the appropriate selection, design and optimization of an effective remediation strategy. This study investigates a new technology for the remediation of a dense non-aqueous phase liquid aged source zone, with the aim of enhancing in situ bioremediation by coupling groundwater circulation wells with a continuous production system of electron donors. The technology was verified through a pilot test carried out at an industrial site highly contaminated by chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons. The multidisciplinary conceptual model confirmed a complex hydrogeological situation, with the occurrence of active residual sources in low permeability layers. The pilot test results clearly demonstrate a significant mobilization of contaminants from the low permeability zone, and the possibility of favoring the in situ natural attenuation mechanisms based upon biological reductive dechlorination. Different information related to the hydrogeochemical sphere must be integrated and taken into consideration when developing a reliable remediation strategy for contaminated sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]