In-situ removal of selenium in a groundwater plume

Overview

• Funding: Up to $150,000 USD for initial proof-of-concept study (typically 12–18 months), with potential for additional funding to support field-scale pilot demonstration upon successful completion
• Indirect costs: Available to academic and nonprofit research institutes at maximum of 15%
• Site access: A large impacted area contains three distinct groundwater plumes” with detailed geochemical characterization available
• Existing infrastructure: An existing treatment plant is available for extracted water but is not the preferred path for this plume
• Collaboration opportunity: Direct engagement with global mining company on site-specific remediation challenge

Priority Areas

• Bioremediation or biostimulation: microbial selenate/selenite reduction via carbon-source injection
• Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs): using zero-valent iron, biochar, or other reactive media
• In-situ chemical reduction technologies: Technologies that enhance existing attenuation processes
• Biogeochemical reactor systems: deployed in the subsurface
• Novel sorbent or reactive-media injection techniques: Innovative approaches for in-situ deployment

Eligibility & Requirements

Must-Have Requirements:

• Capable of decreasing total and dissolved selenium (selenate and selenite) concentrations in groundwater under field-relevant conditions
• Does not resolubilize or mobilize arsenic as a consequence of selenium treatment
• Considers selenium and arsenic chemistry in contaminated groundwater systems under site-relevant conditions, and the potential for arsenic mobilization
• Applicable to in-situ deployment within a groundwater plume (not above-ground treatment)”

Nice-to-Have:

• Existing publications or test work demonstrating selenium attenuation in groundwater
• Experience with selenium-arsenic co-contaminated systems
• Minimal long-term maintenance or reagent replenishment requirements
• Does not generate hazardous secondary waste streams requiring separate disposal

Out of Scope:

• Treatment in an active plant or pumping water to a treatment facility
• Solutions that require continuous above-ground energy or chemical-feed infrastructure

Site Conditions (for proposal development):

• pH: near neutral ranging from approximately 6 to 8
• Selenium concentrations: Maximum dissolved selenium between approximately 5,000 and 24,000 μg/L at source, with downgradient concentrations of 150 to 400 μg/L at deepest elevations
• Arsenic co-occurrence: dissolved arsenic concentrations at the source typically range from 600 to 1,000 μg/L
• Redox conditions: generally oxic near the surface throughout most of the plume, except in wetland areas. At depth, redox conditions are generally suboxic to sulfidic
• Plume depth: Ground surface elevation approximately 4,350 ft amsl at source, with contamination detected at elevations as low as 3,600 ft amsl

Timeline

• Application Deadline: June 26
• Study Duration: Typically 12–18 months for initial proof-of-concept
• Follow-on Funding: Potential for additional funding for field-scale pilot demonstration upon successful completion of initial study

How to Submit:

• Submit proposal through Halo marketplace platform: Halo Marketplace Requests Page
  Partnership model: Sponsored research
• Eligible partners can apply through platform interface
• Company will respond to submitted proposals and coordinate next steps

Please note: Full RFP is attached in the "More Information" section of this page. Faculty and researchers interested in applying for these opportunities based on technologies developed or disclosed at Vanderbilt must submit their proposals through the CTTC.