Charles Pijls uses his background as a chemical technologist to advise on the chemical and physical techniques applied on site with soil remediation. In the new, revised edition of In Situ Soil and Groundwater Remediation: Theory and Practice he mainly contributed to the descriptions of technical aspects. Pijls has more than 25 years of experience in the profession and he was also involved in the creation of the first edition of the book.
“Understanding how substances behave in the soil and how to influence that is the essence of the book, in my opinion.”
How do you tackle soil pollution without earthmoving, based on the latest techniques and insights? This is the question that Tauw's soil consultants address in the book In Situ Soil and Groundwater Remediation: Theory and Practice. The authors present a comprehensive approach to the subject, but co-author Pijls believes that the essence is described right at the start of the book: “The first chapters explain how substances behave in the soil. This is essential knowledge to understand the possibilities and limitations for remediating contamination. With that insight, you can design a suitable solution.”
He sees the experience with innovative techniques to introduce substances into the soil as very relevant. Pijls: “In situ remediation often requires the introduction of something into the soil, such as oxygen, bacteria, or chemicals. At the same time, this presents the main technical challenge. Throughout the years, we have acquired different experiences with various techniques for this. A new method, for example, is where soil and reagents are mixed on site with the help of large-diameter drills or high-pressure injections.”
Besides providing information about substances and techniques, the authors also describe the less obvious effects of in situ remediation. One of the aspects they explain, is how to make a correct estimate of the air injection pressure to prevent liquefaction of the soil. They also warn that sometimes on site decontamination may appear successful, while all that has happened is that the pollution has been moved.
Tauw is a pioneer in the implementation of in situ remediation techniques. As a knowledge organisation, Tauw frequently organises workshops and seminars about soil-related topics. This book provides professionals with a current reference work.
The completely revised edition of In Situ Soil and Groundwater Remediation: Theory and Practice was published in May 2018. The book is written in English.