A full-scale field test of the Lasagna process was conducted at a Departmen
t of Energy trichloroethylene-contaminated clay site in Paducah, Kentucky.
The test covered an area 21 ft x 30 ft (6.4 m x 9.2 m) and reached 45 ft (1
3.7 m) deep. A modified sheet piling method was utilized for installing ele
ctrodes and treatment zones in thin layers through stiff clay soil without
generating solid waste. Iron filings were used in the treatment zones for i
n situ TCE degradation. Complications encountered during the test. included
contamination at significantly higher levels than anticipated and complex
hydrogeology in the subsurface. Treatment effectiveness seems to vary with
location, but in the contaminated areas bracketed by treatment zones, TCE r
emoval ranged from 95% to over 99%. There are strong indications that some
of the TCE was transported and degraded in the DNAPL form, which has signif
icant implications. On the basis of the field results, treatment cost for a
typical one-acre site with contamination from 15 to 45 ft deep ranges from
about $45 to $80/yd(3). Implemented in its full configuration for the firs
t time at a real site, the Lasagna process has demonstrated its robustness
and cost-effectiveness in cleaning up TCE-contaminated soil in place.