PubMed · 2026-06-08
Researchers reviewed how thick, gel-like polymer solutions injected into contaminated soil and groundwater can push pollutants out more effectively than plain water, reaching areas that are normally too tight or bypassed to clean up.
Shear-thinning biopolymers like xanthan gum allow easy injection near the well while spreading more uniformly through tight soil zones farther out, overcoming the 'preferential flow' problem that defeats plain-water remediation.
Field demonstrations showed polymer-amended treatments achieved larger swept volumes, more homogeneous distribution, and longer persistence of remedial chemicals compared to water-based solutions, verified by electrical resistivity tomography and soil coring.
Polymer solutions can carry a wide range of remedial agents — including oxidants, electron donors, surfactants, and nanoparticles — improving placement and effectiveness across heterogeneous subsurface environments.