Research Brief 198 Superfund Research Program Chlorinated
Contaminant Remediation - Dual Function Responsive Membranes
View Research Brief as PDF (331KB) Background: The true extent
of trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination of our groundwater is
unknown. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
(ATSDR) Toxicological Profile for TCE states that TCE is the
most frequently reported organic contaminant in groundwater,
estimating that 9% - 34% of U.S. drinking water sources have
some level of TCE contamination. Remediation of groundwater
contaminated with TCE and/or other chlorinated organics (PCBs,
dioxins, etc.) remains a significant challenge. Cleanup
approaches range from steam injection to monitored natural
attenuation and are often money, resource, and time intensive.
Advances in membrane technology led to the development of
remediation techniques using synthetic membranes that function
as permeable barriers for the physical separation of
contaminants from water, based on size or differences in di