Multibarriers
The Optimal Solution for Ground Water Remediation in Multicontaminated Sites
Short presentation of the multibarrier projects
Multibarrier technology is a system for groundwater remediation. It is an in situ system, in which a filtrating trench is made perpendicular to the groundwater flow. This trench is filled with a coarse material of variable composition depending on the character of the pollution, and induced to treat the pollutants in the passing groundwater.
The technology has been developed through two projects. In the project “Multibarrier” the technology was developed. The second project “MULTIBARDEM” builds on these grounds, by demonstrating the technology on field scale. Different international research teams performed the two projects with VITO as the co-ordinator and beneficiary responsible of both. The MULTIBARDEM project is intended to demonstrate the applicability of the Multibarrier-system for different types of pollution at different locations and hydro geological situations. The project “Multibarrier” is now finished, while MULTIBARDEM is still in progress.
The MULTIBARRIER project
The Multibarrier project was a research project developed by a consortium of ten partners under the 5th Framework program under the EU. The purpose of the project was to develop and examine the feasibility of a Multifunctional Permeable Barrier (MULTIBARRIER) which combined different principles of barrier technology, namely the removal of pollutants based on both physico-chemical (zero valent iron for chemical reductive dechlorination/ sorbing materials) and biological activities (biofilm on MULTIBARRIER material) in order to treat mixed polluted plumes.
- Starting date: 1/01/2001
- End date: 31/12/2004
- Total budget: 2.106.508 €
- Approved subsidy from EU: 1.644.520 €
List of Partners
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (BE)
- Leopold-Franzens Universität Innsbruck (AT)
- Technical University of Munich (DE), Wageningen University (NL)
- Institute for Bioprocessing and Analytical Measurements Technique (DE)
- Biotechs Technologie für Technic und Umwelt (DE)
- University of Mining and Geology (BG)
- Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology (LV)
- Institute of Chemical Technology (CR)
- DEC nv (BE)
The MULTIBARDEM project
The MULTIBARDEM project is a demonstration project under development by a consortium of seven partners and is approved by LIFE of the European Commission. The purpose of the project is to demonstrate a MULTIBARRIER as a sustainable approach for the prevention of groundwater contamination by leaking landfills and multi pollutant contaminated sites: a cheap alternative to landfill re-installation and/or leachate treatment
- Starting date: 01/11/2006
- Expected ending date: 31/04/2010
- Total expected budget 1.506.670 €
- Approved subsidy from EU: 452.001€
List of Partners
- Flemish Institute for Technological Research (BE)
- Markis Industrial Development Centre (DK)
- MWH (BE), WPA Beratende Ingenieure (AT)
- Leopold-Franzens Universität Innsbruck (AT)
- Umweltbundesamt Austria (AT)
- Intercommunale Hooge Maey cv (BE)
The project is approved by the EU and is in progress EU Agreement number 06ENV/B/000359