Volume 11, Number 1 • Spring 2003 • Moving Forward

Technology Opportunity Showcase highlights some unique technologies that NASA has developed and which we believe have strong potential for commercial application. While the descriptions provided here are brief, they should provide enough information to communicate the potential applications of the technology. For more detailed information, contact the person listed. Please mention that you read about it in Innovation.

Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron (EZVI)

NASA seeks to license the technology entitled Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron (EZVI) for use in commercial environmental remediation applications. Developed at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), this process provides for the in situ treatment of dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs).

A DNAPL is a liquid that is denser than water and does not dissolve or mix easily in water. Many chlorinated solvents are classified as DNAPLs. The high volatility of chlorinated solvents originally prompted the disposal practice of pouring spent solvent on dry ground, resulting in prodigious groundwater pollution. The physical characteristics of the DNAPLs allow them to sink to the subsurface and remain in place for many years. When dealing with the impact of DNAPL contamination, the prime concern is toxicity and potential contamination of drinking water supplies.

The EZVI technology was originally developed for use in environmental remediation at Launch Complex-34 (LC-34) at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport. Areas of LC-34 were polluted during the early history of the space program.

Simply put, the EZVI technology uses iron particles in an environmentally friendly oil-in-water base to neutralize DNAPLs and is one of the few methods available that can directly treat the DNAPL source. EZVI involves placing nanoscale zero-valent iron particles into a surfactant-stabilized, biodegradable oil-in-water emulsion. This emulsion is injected into the DNAPL-contaminated zones of the subsurface. The DNAPL is then pulled into the emulsion where the contaminant reacts with the zero-valent iron. Through a process known as reductive dehalogenation, the DNAPL and its products are degraded into ethene and other hydrocarbons. These nontoxic byproducts are finally broken down through biological activities in the subsurface.

The potential benefits of EZVI are numerous. Although traditional pump-and-treat systems can require decades of operation for complete DNAPL removal, remediation with EZVI takes only two to three months. It also reduces treatment costs — EZVI is estimated to cost less than $30 per kilogram of DNAPL treated. In contrast, EZVI produces small quantities of hydrocarbons that are relatively nontoxic and naturally degraded. Q

For more information, contact Lynne Henkiel, KSC Industry Liaison, T: 321/867-8130, Lynne.Henkiel-1@ksc.nasa.gov and reference Case Number KSC-12246. Please mention you read about it in Innovation.