Methodology to develop risk-based corrective actions at petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated sites
Parsons Engineering Science, Inc. (Parsons ES) has been working with the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence (AFCEE) to develop and field test a {open_quotes}standard{close_quotes} methodology to implement RBCA at both large and small fuel hydrocarbon contaminated sites. AFCEE intends to incorporate the lessons learned from a multi-site demonstration effort into a protocol on how best to implement RBCA at fuel hydrocarbon contaminated sites nationwide. The AFCEE RBCA approach has been field tested at several sites, two of which are located on Wurtsmith Air Force Base (AFB), Michigan. Saturated soils and groundwater were contaminated by a release from a heating fuel oil underground storage tank (UST) at one of the sites at Wurtsmith AFB. Chemicals of potential concern (COPCs) for soils and groundwater included benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, total xylenes (BTEX) and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) naphthalene and phenanthrene. Because measured concentrations of COPCs were below site-specific, risk-based cleanup criteria, the recommendation that no additional action is required at the site was favorably received by regulators. Groundwater was contaminated by JP-4 jet fuel released during an aircraft crash at the other site at Wurtsmith AFB. COPCs included the BTEX compounds. Data indicate that COPCs are biodegrading in situ. Conservative computer simulations using the Bioplume II code predicts that COPCs will be biodegraded to below detection within 10 years. Although no engineered activities were recommended, the remedy included maintaining land controls to prevent exposure to residual contamination and long-term monitoring to confirm in situ COPC destruction and/or nondestructive attenuation. This approach was favorably received by Michigan regulators who are national leaders in the risk-based remediation arena.
- OSTI ID:
- 416847
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-951023-; TRN: 96:005001-0004
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 68. annual conference and exposition of the Water Environment Federation, Miami Beach, FL (United States), 21-25 Oct 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of WEFTEC `95: 68th annual conference & exposition; PB: 498 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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