Course Description

In-situ air sparging involves the injection of air into the saturated zone of a contaminated groundwater system. This approach is primarily applied to volatile organic compounds, including gasoline constituents such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes, as well as chlorinated solvents like trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene. The technology minimizes surface disruption compared to excavation-based or pump-and-treat systems, making it a preferred solution in many industrial and urban environments. Air sparging operates by introducing clean air into the subsurface, which mobilizes contaminants from the aqueous phase into air bubbles, promoting their upward migration into the unsaturated zone. In addition to volatilization, the injected air provides oxygen that supports the natural aerobic microbial degradation of residual contaminants, enhancing overall remediation effectiveness. Historically, air sparging emerged in response to gasoline spills at fueling stations and solvent-contaminated industrial sites in the 1980s, and it has since become a widely adopted and regulated remediation method.

What you'll learn in this course?

• Define in-situ air sparging (IAS) and its role in site remediation.

• Explain the mechanisms of contaminant removal through IAS.

• Identify site conditions suitable for IAS application.

• Understand the design considerations for air injection systems.

• Recognize monitoring and operational best practices.

• Evaluate case studies demonstrating successful IAS implementation.

• Understand potential limitations and challenges of IAS.

Prerequisites

• Basic understanding of environmental engineering, hydrogeology, or contaminated-site remediation

• Familiarity with groundwater, VOCs, and soil-vapor concepts is helpful