9. Conclusion

The reactive permeable barrier is an effective and promising process for controlling the diffusion of pollution on a contaminated site, at all levels of the problem, whether diffuse or point source pollution is involved:

• as a precautionary measure: when contamination has been identified, the BPR can be quickly installed. In certain configurations, the filters can be easily changed, so that their content can be adapted as the site evolves;

• secondly, when remediation work is undertaken: such work always presents the danger of re-mobilizing pollutants. BPR then plays a role in preventing contamination of downstream groundwater and optimizing clean-up treatment by limiting it to the areas that are the main source of pollution;

• finally, after treatment, the BPR can be used to monitor...