Hydrogen Release Compound [eXtended release formula] (HRC-X®)
HRC-X is specifically formulated to treat residual DNAPL in groundwater and to provide a long term solution for groundwater contaminant plume control How it Works
HRC-X is a special formulation of the patented and widely accepted Hydrogen Release Compound (HRC®), which has been successfully applied on hundreds of project sites world-wide for the cost-effective, in situtreatment of groundwater contamination.
HRC-X is a viscous material, composed of glycerol polylactate, which is injected directly into the contaminated subsurface. Once in place, this compound slowly releases lactic acid for periods in excess of 3 years. This source of lactic acid is then metabolized by naturally occurring microbes producing consistent, low-level concentrations of hydrogen. This hydrogen, in turn, is used by microbes to degrade chlorinated solvent-type contaminants through a well understood process known as reductive dechlorination.
HRC-X can be used to degrade a range of contaminants including: degreasing agents (PCE, TCE, TCA and their breakdown products), carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, perchlorate, nitrate, and certain pesticides/herbicides. Residual DNAPL Treatment
Residual Dense Non-Aqueous Phase
Liquids (DNAPL’s) are often difficult to find and very costly to treat. Residual DNAPL causes a lingering and unwanted source of groundwater contamination that can represent enormous and unexpected cleanup costs.
HRC-X is a proven solution to this challenging problem. Once injected into the general vicinity of the residual DNAPL, HRC-X goes to work releasing lactic acid and cost-effectively producing the desired hydrogen throughout the area. This, in turn, drives the rapid desorption, dissolution, and degradation of the bound residual DNAPL (Figure 1).
Since HRC-X facilitates a microbial driven process, it can be applied without the need to identify the exact location of the residual DNAPL, avoiding costs associated with detailed site analysis. Additionally, HRC-X does not require stationary equipment, any on-going power supply, piping, long-term operations and maintenance or labor costs. These characteristics alone can significantly reduce the costs of residual DNAPL remediation.
Long Term, Low-Cost Plume Control
When long-term plume control is required to halt the migration of groundwater contaminants, HRC-X may be one of the most cost-effective alternatives available. In the past, the only alternative in these situations was to cut-off the plume by intercepting the groundwater with very inefficient and costly pump and treat systems, or by disruptive construction of expensive sheet pile barriers and “iron filing walls.”
Groundwater remediation professionals now have an effective alternative to offer their clients and to reduce their cost burden, HRC-X. When applied perpendicular to the migrating plume, HRC-X passively releases the hydrogen required to degrade the mobile contaminant flux. The HRC-X material, once installed, continues to release hydrogen, effectively “cutting off” the migrating plume for a period in excess of 3 years, while avoiding the capital costs associated with engineering, construction and O&M intensive systems.
