Grantee Research Project Results

Incorporating Natural Attenuation Into Design and Management Strategies For Contaminated Sites

EPA Grant Number: R828770C004
Subproject: this is subproject number 004 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R828770
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Center for Air, Climate, and Energy Solutions
Center Director: Robinson, Allen
Title: Incorporating Natural Attenuation Into Design and Management Strategies For Contaminated Sites
Investigators: Novak, John T. , Banks, M. Katherine , Widdowson, Mark
Current Investigators: Novak, John T. , Widdowson, Mark
Institution: Virginia Tech
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2004
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Hazardous Substance Research Centers - HSRC (2001) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Hazardous Waste/Remediation , Land and Waste Management

Objective:

Monitored natural attenuation (MNA) is recognized as a possible site remediation approach where it can be shown that the risk associated with this approach provides a satisfactory level of risk. One of the important uses of MNA is for sites where source removal must first occur and then the contaminated soil and/or groundwater are cleaned further to reduce the down-gradient risk. The coupling of source removal strategies with MNA is an approach that can only be addressed by modeling. In effect, this approach seeks to answer the question: How clean does the source area need to be in order to use natural attenuation? Once that question is answered, natural attenuation coupled with source removal can be compared to other remediation approaches.

Approach:

Simple screening models can be used to estimate the transport of contaminant mass from a source, but more sophisticated models (e.g., SEAM3D, developed at Virginia Tech) are often necessary once MNA is selected. Such models will need to be developed for practical, user-friendly application and guidance and then demonstrated at a variety of sites. We currently are assessing MNA as a remediation approach at one site and combined MNA and phytoremediation at another site with a goal of modeling the processes and rates of degradation occurring at these locations. One site is a chlorinated solvent site and the other a PAH (creosote) contaminated site. These will serve as the field locations for determining the rate of natural processes and to verify modeling results. Both sites are extensively instrumented with multilevel samplers and background data is available.

Publications and Presentations:

Publications have been submitted on this subproject: View all 6 publications for this subproject | View all 108 publications for this center

Journal Articles:

Journal Articles have been submitted on this subproject: View all 2 journal articles for this subproject | View all 14 journal articles for this center

Supplemental Keywords:

Natural attenuation, monitoring, contaminated soil, ground water, chlorinated solvent, creosote., RFA, Scientific Discipline, Waste, Water, Contaminated Sediments, Remediation, Environmental Chemistry, Hazardous Waste, Environmental Monitoring, Hazardous, Environmental Engineering, contaminant transport, contaminant dynamics, contaminated waste sites, contaminants, contaminated sites, contaminated sediment, transport contaminants, modeling, contaminant transport model, groundwater hydrology models, natural attenuation, groundwater remediation, transport models, contaminated groundwater, monitored natural attenuation, hazardous waste sites, transport modeling, ecological research

Progress and Final Reports:

2002 Progress Report

2003 Progress Report

Final

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R828770    Center for Air, Climate, and Energy Solutions

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R828770C001 Technical Outreach Services for Communities
R828770C002 Technical Outreach Services for Native American Communities
R828770C003 Sustainable Remediation
R828770C004 Incorporating Natural Attenuation Into Design and Management Strategies For Contaminated Sites
R828770C005 Metals Removal by Constructed Wetlands
R828770C006 Adaptation of Subsurface Microbial Biofilm Communities in Response to Chemical Stressors
R828770C007 Dewatering, Remediation, and Evaluation of Dredged Sediments
R828770C008 Interaction of Various Plant Species with Microbial PCB-Degraders in Contaminated Soils
R828770C009 Microbial Indicators of Bioremediation Potential and Success