Environmental contamination by organic compounds are not only restricted to water, but extends to soil and groundwater as well. However, highly oxidized compounds, such as halogenated organics and nitro-compounds, can be detoxified employing reducing methods. Permeable reactive barrier is one of the representative technologies where zero-valent metals (ZVMs) are employed for groundwater remediation. However, organics contaminates often contaminate the unsaturated zone above the groundwater. Despite the availability of technologies like soil vapor extraction and bioremediation, removing organic compounds from this zone represents several challenges. In this study, the reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline was achieved using zero-valent iron (ZVI) under unsaturated conditions. Results indicated that the water content was an important variable in this reaction. Under dry conditions (water content = 0.2%), the reduction reaction was inhibited; however, when the water content was between 10% and 25% (saturated condition), ZVI can reduce nitrobenzene. Palladized iron (Pd/Fe) can be used to reduce nitrobenzene when the water content is between 2.5% and 10%. The reaction was evaluated over a wide range of temperatures (10 – 40 °C), and the results indicated that increasing the temperature resulted in increased reaction rates under unsaturated conditions.

The dechlorination of chlorinated methanes by iron powder and palladium coated iron (Pd/Fe) was studied in batch experiments. Iron powder dechlorinated carbon tetrachloride (CT) with a half-life of 4 days. Three chloromethane was found as major product and less chlorinated daughters. Mass balance found was to be about 93-99%. Pd/Fe showed very enhanced reactivity for CT in comparing with plain iron. The major dechlorination products of CT were also less chlorinated methanes with Pd/Fe. Pd/Fe also degrade the produced less chlorinated compounds. Sequential reactions were occurred on Pd/Fe. As the Pd/Fe content increased, the reaction rate was increased linearly.