Handbook of Solvents - George Wypych - ChemTech - Ventech!

23.1 Natural attenuation of chlorinated solvents 1613
Table 23.1.13. Approximate first-order biodegradation rate constants
TCE
DCE
VC
Compound
BTEX
Correction
method
Chloride
TMB
Average
Chloride
TMB
Average
Chloride
TMB
Average
Chloride
TMB
Average
A-B 0-970 ft,
year -1
1.27
1.20
1.24
0.06
0.00
0.03
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.13
0.06
0.10
B-C 970-1240 ft,
year -1
0.23
0.52
0.38
0.60
0.90
0.75
0.14
0.43
0.29
0.30
0.60
0.45
C-E 1240-2560
ft, year -1
-0.30
NA
-0.30
0.07
NA
0.07
0.47
NA
0.47
0.39
NA
0.39
a NA, not analyzed
[From T.H. Wiedemeier, H. S. Rifai, C. J. Newell and J.T. Wilson, Natural Attenuation of Fuels and Chlorinated
Solvents in the Subsurface, after reference 88. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Reprinted by
permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.]
Available geochemical data were analyzed by Wiedemeier et al. 1 and they concluded
that the geochemistry of the ground water near the source area and for about 1500 ft
downgradient is significantly different from the groundwater further downgradient from the
source (between 1500 and 4000 ft downgradient). This led the authors to conclude that
Plattsburgh exhibits Type 1 behavior near the source and Type 3 behavior within the leading
edge of the plume (see Section 23.1.5.2).
In the area extending to 1500 ft downgradient from the source, BTEX and TCE are
comingled in the ground water. This area is characterized by anaerobic conditions that are
strongly reducing. BTEX is being used as a primary substrate and TCE is being reductively
dechlorinated to cis-1,2-DCE and VC. Between 1500 and 2000 ft downgradient from the
source, however, the majority of the BTEX has been biodegraded and the system exhibits
Type 3 behavior. These conditions are not optimal for reductive dechlorination, and it is
likely that VC is being oxidized via ferric reduction or aerobic respiration.
REFERENCES
1 T. H. Wiedemeier, H. S. Rifai, C. J. Newell and J. T. Wilson, Natural Attenuation of Fuels and
Chlorinated Solvents in the Subsurface, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, New York, NY, 1999.
2 C. J. Newell, L. P. Hopkins and P. B. Bedient, Ground Water, 28, 703-714 (1990).
3 L. W. Gelhar, A. Montoglou, C. Welty and K. R. Rehfeldt, A Review of Field Scale Physical Solute
Transport Processes in Saturated and Unsaturated Porous Media: Final Project Report, EPRI-EA-4190,
Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA, 1985.
4 L. W. Gelhar, L. Welty and K. R. Rehfeldt, Water Resour. Res., 28, 1955-1974 (1992).
5 P. Lallemand-Barres and P. Peaudecerf, Etude Bibliographique Bulletin, Sec., 3/4, 277-287 (1978).
6 J. F. Pickens and G. E. Grisak, Water Resour. Res., 17, 1191-1211 (1981).
7 K. Spitz and J. Moreno, A Practical Guide to Groundwater and Solute Transport Modeling, Wiley, Inc.,
New York, New York, 1996.
8 M. Xu and Y. Eckstein, Journal of Ground Water, 33, 905-908 (1995).
9 American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Emergency Standard Guide for Risk-Based Corrective
Action Applied at Petroleum Release Sites, ASTM E-1739, Philadelphia, 1995.