The 11th International Conference on Water Resource and Environment (WRE 2025)

Abstract: Gas-driven groundwater remediation technology integrates the advantages of physical stripping, chemical oxidation, and biological enhancement, enabling the synergistic and efficient removal of multiple contaminants. However, conventional gas-driven remediation approaches suffer from several limitations: (i) gas flow is strongly constrained by the capillary resistance of aquifer media, leading to limited air channels, preferential flow bypassing low-permeability zones, a narrow influence radius, and thus low gas-liquid mass transfer efficiency; (ii) when dissolved oxygen is delivered via gas-driven technology, the inherently limited capacity of Fe(II) to activate oxygen results in low electron utilization efficiency and inadequate yields of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus severely compromising the oxidative degradation performance; and (iii) functional microorganisms exhibit poor mobility and dispersion in heterogeneous aquifers, restricting the effective utilization of dissolved oxygen and reducing aerobic biodegradation efficiency. To address these challenges, this study developed a series of methods to enhance the physical, chemical, and biological remediation effect during the gas- driven process. For the physical stripping process, addition of surfactants enhanced gas penetration through the aquifer media, significantly improving gas-liquid mass transfer and achieving efficient volatilization-based contaminant removal. For the chemical oxidation process, the introduction of ligands enhanced the ability of Fe(II) to activate molecular oxygen, increased the production of ROS, and enabled the rapid chemical degradation of contaminants. For the biological enhancement process, colloidal gas aphrons were employed as a carrier to enhance the transport and distribution of degrading bacteria, thereby boosting the activity of aerobic microbes and increasing the efficiency of biodegradation. Finally, this study proposes an integrated “physical-chemical-biological” system for synergistic and enhanced remediation of contaminated groundwater based on the gas-driven technology. This study provides new theoretical insights and technical support for the efficient in situ treatment of complex groundwater pollution.

Biography: Prof. Chuanyu Qin serves as Associate Dean of the College of New Energy and Environment of Jilin University (JLU) and Deputy Director of the Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment of Ministry of Education. Dr. Qin obtained his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from JLU in 2010 and pursued advanced research as a visiting scholar at Oregon Health & Science University in 2017. Dr. Qin’s research focuses on advancing theoretical frameworks, innovative materials, cutting-edge technologies, and specialized equipment for contaminated site remediation, with successful applications in multiple demonstration remediation projects. He has led or participated in more than 20 research projects. Notably, he has served as the Principal Investigator on a National Key Research and Development Program of China, and has undertaken several projects funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China. Dr. Qin has published more than 50 articles in top journals like Environmental Science & Technology, Water Research. He has received the McKee Award from the Water Environment Federation (WEF), as well as the Science and Technology Progress Award from China's Ministry of Education and Jilin Province. Dr. Qin holds the position of Deputy Director of the Jilin Provincial Designated Committee for Solid Waste Treatment and Utilization. He also serves as Editorial Board Member of journals, such as China Environmental Science, Environmental Sanitation Engineering, Environmental Protection Science, and Journal of Jilin University (Earth Science Edition).