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Engineering practice of mechanical soil aeration for the remediation of volatile organic compound-contaminated sites in China: Advantages and challenges

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Abstract

In recent years, many industrial enterprises located in the urban centers of China have been relocated owing to the rapid increase in urban development. At the sites abandoned by these enterprises, volatile organic compounds have frequently been detected, sometimes at high concentrations, particularly at sites abandoned by chemical manufacturing enterprises. With the redevelopment of sites and changes in land-use type associated with these sites, substantial amounts of contaminated soils now require remediation. Since China is a developing country, soil remediation warrants the usage of techniques that are suitable for addressing the unique challenges faced in this country. Land shortage is a common problem in China; the large numbers of contaminated sites, tight development schedules, and limited financial resources necessitate the development of cost-effective methods for land reclamation. Mechanical soil aeration is a simple, effective, and low-cost soil remediation technique that is particularly suitable for the remediation of large volatile organic compound-contaminated sites. Its effectiveness has been confirmed by conducting laboratory studies, pilot tests, and full-scale projects. This study reviews current engineering practice and developmental trends of mechanical soil aeration and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of this technology for application in China as an emerging soil remediation market. The findings of this study might aid technology development in China, as well as assist other developing countries in the assessment and implementation of costeffective hazardous waste site soil remediation programs.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology, Beijing, 100083, China

    Yan Ma & Binbin Dong

  2. Department of Soil Pollution Control, State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China

    Yan Ma, Xiaoming Du, Yi Shi, Zhu Xu, Yunfeng Xie, Zheng Li, Yunzhe Cao, Qingbao Gu & Fasheng Li

  3. School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Deyi Hou

  4. Beijing Key Laboratory for Risk Modeling and Remediation of Contaminated Sites, Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Environmental Protection, Beijing, 100037, China

    Huiying Li

  5. Shandong Key Laboratory of Eco-Environmental Science for Yellow River Delta, Binzhou University, Binzhou, 256600, China

    Jidun Fang

Authors
  1. Yan Ma
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  2. Xiaoming Du
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  3. Yi Shi
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  8. Yunfeng Xie
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  10. Zheng Li
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  11. Yunzhe Cao
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  12. Qingbao Gu
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  13. Fasheng Li
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fasheng Li.

Additional information

Professor Fasheng Li received his Bachelor degree in Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Hunan University in 1987 and PhD in Department of Chemistry of Kazan Lenin State University of Russia in 1993. Since 2001 he has been professor of Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES) in Beijing, China. He established the Department of Soil Pollution Control at CRAES and was the director of the department in the period of 2005–2015. He is currently the Chief Engineer of CRAES.

Professor Li’s research is aimed at developing cost-effective techniques and process for the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated sites as well as strategies and methodologies for risk assessment of industrially contaminated sites. He was responsible for the development of several national guidelines for risk control of contaminated soils in China and remediation of several megasites. He was the member of the international expert group on developing toolkit for risk assessment and remediation of POPs contaminated sites of UNIDO.

Professor Li has written 7 monographs on risk assessment and remediation of contaminated sites and more than 160 papers out of which more than 70 refereed papers published internationally.

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Ma, Y., Du, X., Shi, Y. et al. Engineering practice of mechanical soil aeration for the remediation of volatile organic compound-contaminated sites in China: Advantages and challenges. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng. 10, 6 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-016-0870-x

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