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Evaluating the Applicability of Soil Vapor Extraction Technologies to Remediate Contaminated Sites

EPA Grant Number: GF9500359
Title: Evaluating the Applicability of Soil Vapor Extraction Technologies to Remediate Contaminated Sites
Investigators: Russell, Kevin Todd
Institution: SUNY at Buffalo
EPA Project Officer: Broadway, Virginia
Project Period: June 1, 1995 through January 1, 2000
Project Amount: $23,625
RFA: STAR Graduate Fellowships (1995)
Research Category: Academic Fellowships , Fellowship - Engineering , Engineering and Environmental Chemistry

Description:

Objective:

The proposed research involves numerical modeling of vapor extraction systems for the cleanup of soils contaminated with volatile organic chemicals (VOC's). The scope of the work involves an extensive literature review to survey the sophistication and limitations of current models. This research will involve obtaining public-domain software models that describe vapor-phase flow in the unsaturated zone and evaluating their applicability and flexibility.

The research will develop a model that increases current model sophistication by incorporating aquifer heterogeneity and nonequilibrium mass transfer. Since many existing models are steady-state solutions to the vapor phase flow equations, the research will also examine the effects of temporal variations in boundary conditions and other model parameters on the analysis results. Both aspects of the research will be formalized as sensitivity analyses that examine the extent to which this added model sophistication increases its predictive capacity. The Machias Gravel Pit Site in Machias, NY will serve as a case study and aid in model verification and calibration. This inactive waste site contains a plume of trichloroethylene and 1,1-trichloroethane. A vapor extraction/air sparging system is currently in use as part of the remedial measures being taken by Motorola, Inc. who have sponsored several research projects at SUNY Buffalo. The large quantity of data will provide the substantial basis for model development.

The ultimate goal of the project is to develop a sophisticated model that can be used as a predictive design tool in evaluating the applicability of soil vapor extraction technologies to remediate contaminated sites.

Supplemental Keywords:

Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Toxics, Geographic Area, Scientific Discipline, Waste, RFA, Remediation, HAPS, Applied Math & Statistics, Chemistry, computing technology, Environmental Chemistry, Chemistry and Materials Science, National Recommended Water Quality, VOCs, 33/50, State, Trichloroethylene, VOC removal, New York (NY), 1, 1-trichloroethane, soil vapor extraction technologies, contaminated soil, acceptable residue levels, applicability of soil vapor extraction for remediation, clean up of VOC contaminated sites, numerical model, model, contaminated sites, Machias, NY, Machias Gravel Pit Site

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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

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