Patent ID: 8894849

Claim:
An upward flow constructed wetland cell, comprising: (a) a membrane forming a bottom of the cell and isolating the cell from the environment; (b) a first zone above the membrane for entry of a supply of contaminated ground water; (c) a second zone above the first zone, comprising organic soil for anaerobic dechlorination of PCE to at least one of TCE, DEC and vinyl chloride; (d) a third zone above the second zone, comprising iron rich soil for iron reduction degradation of at least one of TCE, DEC and vinyl chloride; and, (e) a fourth zone above the third zone, comprising an oxygenated root zone, including: (i) methane-oxidizing microorganisms for aerobically destroying methane produced in lower zones, enabling co-metabolic destruction of at least one of TEC, DCE and vinyl chloride; and, (ii) ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms for aerobically destroying ammonia, enabling co-metabolic destruction of at least one of TEC, DEC and vinyl chloride; (f) at least one monitoring well extending vertically through at least one zone; and, (g) a pore-water sample chamber inserted inside the at least one monitoring well, the pore-water sample chamber comprising: (i) a solid rod having a long axis and a short axis; (ii) a cylindrical bore into the rod along the short axis forming a cavity; (iii) a porous plate covering the cavity; and, (iv) sampling ports along the long axis into the cavity.