Dispersible, reactive contaminant capping material

1. A sub-aqueous capping material comprising a plurality of compacted particles of a reactive solid material comprising a dispersion aid homogeneously blended therein, the compacted particles having a specific gravity greater than 1.0, and a particle size in the range of about 1/16 inch to about 1 inch;

wherein the reactive solid material is selected from the group consisting of leonardite; lignite; organoclay; activated carbon; coke; organic-rich topsoil; organic-rich sediment; humus; apatite; zeolite; iron ore-rich material; organic shale; lime; gypsum; elemental sulfur; bauxite; fish meal; zero-valent iron, and/or oxides or hydroxyoxides of iron, manganese and/or aluminum; and mixtures of any two or more of the foregoing;

and

wherein the dispersion aid:

is citric acid and sodium bicarbonate in combination;

or

is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid polyesters, amines, water- soluble acrylates, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, and combinations thereof;

or

is citric acid and sodium bicarbonate in combination and one or more materials selected from the group consisting of lactic acid polyesters, amines, water-soluble acrylates, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, and combinations thereof.

2. The capping material of claim 1 , wherein the reactive solid material is selected from the group consisting of organoclay; activated carbon; and mixtures of the foregoing.

3. The capping material of claim 1 , wherein the reactive solid material comprises about 98 wt. % to about 99.5 wt. % of the dry weight of the compacted particles, and the dispersion aid comprises about 0.5 wt. % to about 2.0 wt. % of the dry weight of the compacted particles.

4. The capping material of claim 1 , wherein the dispersion aid is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid polyesters, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, and combinations thereof.

5. A method of manufacturing compacted particles that are structurally stable during transportation, handling and installation and disintegrate into smaller particles when submerged in a location covering contaminants in a waterway bottom material comprising compacting a plurality of solid reactive smaller particles having a particle size of about 0.1 mm to about 2 mm, and a dispersion aid homogeneously mixed with said smaller particles, using a compaction pressure of at least about 150 psig, to form the compacted particles having a particle size in the range of about 1/16 inch to about 1 inch;

wherein the reactive solid material is selected from the group consisting of leonardite; lignite; organoclay; activated carbon; coke; organic-rich topsoil; organic-rich sediment; humus; apatite; zeolite; iron ore-rich material; organic shale; lime; gypsum; elemental sulfur; bauxite; fish meal; zero-valent iron, and/or oxides or hydroxyoxides of iron, manganese and/or aluminum; and mixtures of any two or more of the foregoing;

and

wherein the dispersion aid:

is citric acid and sodium bicarbonate in combination;

or

is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid polyesters, amines, water-soluble acrylates, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, and combinations thereof;

or

is citric acid and sodium bicarbonate in combination and one or more materials selected from the group consisting of lactic acid polyesters, amines, water-soluble acrylates, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the reactive solid material is selected from the group consisting of organoclay; activated carbon; coke; and mixtures of the foregoing.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the reactive solid material comprises about 98 wt. % to about 99.5 wt. % of the dry weight of the compacted particles, and the dispersion aid comprises about 0.5 wt. % to about 2.0 wt. % of the dry weight of the compacted particles.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the dispersion aid is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid polyesters, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, and combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the compaction pressure is in the range of about 150 psig to about 2000 psig.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the compaction pressure is in the range of about 150 psig to about 500 psig.

11. A method of capping a sub-aqueous contaminant contained on a floor of a contaminated waterway bottom material comprising directing the capping material comprising the plurality of the reactive compacted particles of claim 1 into water that overlies the contaminant such that the compacted particles descend through the water and cover at least a portion of the contaminated waterway bottom material in a thickness of at least one monolayer of the compacted particles.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising adding an inert layer of sand over the layer of reactive particles.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reactive solid material is leonardite, lignite, or a combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the reactive solid material comprises about 98 wt. % to about 99.5 wt. % of the dry weight of the compacted particles, and the dispersion aid comprises about 0.5 wt. % to about 2.0 wt. % of the dry weight of the compacted particles.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the dispersion aid is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid polyesters, polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, and combinations thereof.