EZVI Injection Program

Project Overview

IET completed a four-day EZVI injection program for Van Fair Associates in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. The project combined 2,030 gallons of Emulsified Zero Valent Iron with an additional 1,800 lbs of ZVI and guar polymer for enhanced delivery, treating 31 injection points for chlorinated solvent remediation.

Treatment Details

Technical Approach & EZVI Chemistry

Emulsified Zero-Valent Iron (EZVI) is a patented remediation technology originally developed by NASA for treating dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) chlorinated solvents in source zones. EZVI consists of nanoscale zero-valent iron (ZVI) particles suspended within a biodegradable food-grade emulsion — typically a vegetable oil-based surfactant system that creates micellar droplets containing the iron particles. When injected into a DNAPL source zone, the emulsion droplets physically contact the DNAPL, and the ZVI particles within the emulsion directly dechlorinate the chlorinated compounds through abiotic reductive dechlorination.

For this Palm Beach Gardens project, IET delivered 2,030 gallons of EZVI supplemented with 1,800 lbs of additional ZVI over a 4-day injection program. The supplemental ZVI extends the treatment longevity beyond the emulsion's initial reductive capacity — as the emulsion substrate biodegrades over months to years, it releases hydrogen donors that sustain biological reductive dechlorination, while the residual ZVI continues abiotic treatment. This dual-mechanism approach (abiotic ZVI + biological ERD) provides both rapid source mass destruction and long-term plume control.

IET's EZVI delivery used direct push injection points to place the reagent at the target treatment depth, with the injection trailer system maintaining the emulsion in suspension during delivery. The air hammer and compressor equipment noted in the project details was used for difficult geology conditions — likely dense limestone or cemented sand layers that required impact driving to advance the injection rods to the target depth. The 4-day field duration reflects the efficiency of IET's injection system for a moderate-scale source zone treatment program.

Site Context & Hydrogeological Setting

Palm Beach Gardens is located in Palm Beach County, Florida, within the Atlantic Coastal Plain physiographic province. The shallow geology consists of Quaternary and Tertiary-age limestone and sand deposits of the Surficial Aquifer System — predominantly the Anastasia Formation and Miami Limestone. These formations are characterized by high permeability, shallow water table (typically 2–10 feet bgs), and variable limestone cementation that can create drilling and injection challenges.

Florida's shallow aquifer system is highly sensitive to contamination due to the direct hydraulic connection between surface and groundwater in the porous limestone. DNAPL source zones in this setting can rapidly spread through the limestone matrix and solution channels, making aggressive source treatment technologies like EZVI particularly valuable. The project was completed for Van Fair Associates (June 1–5, 2020) under PO Number 17ENV002, with IET Sales Rep Mike Scalzi coordinating the engagement.