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Title: Determination of reference concentrations for inorganic analytes in groundwater at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Abstract

Background (or reference) concentrations for inorganics in Y-12 Plant groundwater were determined using a combination of statistical cluster analysis and conventional cumulative probability graphing. Objective was to develop a methodology for setting groundwater reference concentrations that uses all site groundwater data instead of only results of sampling upgradient of groundwater contamination. Y-12 was selected as prototype because the groundwater data set is very large and the data have been consistently collected since 1986. A conceptual framework of groundwater quality at Y-12 was formulated; as a quality check, data were statistically modeled or clustered. Ten hydrochemical regimes or clusters were identified. Six well clusters closely corresponded to the water quality framework and to observed water quality regimes in groundwater at Y-12. Four clusters were associated with nitrate, an S-3 Site contaminant, or with nonspecific contaminants commonly encountered at shallow depths at industrial sites (e.g., road salt). These four clusters were eliminated from the reference data set. Cumulative probability graphs were used within a cluster or group of clusters to distinguish contaminated wells from wells with ambient water quality. Only median values of unfiltered samples were plotted. Outlying data points (assumed to be contaminated samples) were identified and eliminated from the datamore » set. When all outliers for a given inorganic had been identified and deleted from the data set, the reference concentration was set at the one-sided upper tolerance limit on the 95th percentile with 95% confidence. The methodology proved useful in integrating a large amount of data into the Y-12 plant groundwater conceptual framework and in identifying those wells or groups of wells that have monitoring or sample and analysis problems or that may be monitoring site-related contamination.« less

Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant (Y-12), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); HSW Environmental Consultants, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Paradigm Data Services, Inc. (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
432798
Report Number(s):
Y/ER-234
ON: DE97001115
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-96OR22464
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Mar 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; 05 NUCLEAR FUELS; GROUND WATER; CONTAMINATION; MONITORING; POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS; ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; Y-12 PLANT; SITE CHARACTERIZATION; LAND POLLUTION; CALIBRATION STANDARDS; WATER QUALITY; INORGANIC COMPOUNDS; WASTE MANAGEMENT; ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY; NITRATES; VOLATILE MATTER

Citation Formats

. Determination of reference concentrations for inorganic analytes in groundwater at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. United States: N. p., 1996. Web. doi:10.2172/432798.
. Determination of reference concentrations for inorganic analytes in groundwater at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/432798
. 1996. "Determination of reference concentrations for inorganic analytes in groundwater at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/432798. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/432798.
@article{osti_432798,
title = {Determination of reference concentrations for inorganic analytes in groundwater at the Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee},
author = {},
abstractNote = {Background (or reference) concentrations for inorganics in Y-12 Plant groundwater were determined using a combination of statistical cluster analysis and conventional cumulative probability graphing. Objective was to develop a methodology for setting groundwater reference concentrations that uses all site groundwater data instead of only results of sampling upgradient of groundwater contamination. Y-12 was selected as prototype because the groundwater data set is very large and the data have been consistently collected since 1986. A conceptual framework of groundwater quality at Y-12 was formulated; as a quality check, data were statistically modeled or clustered. Ten hydrochemical regimes or clusters were identified. Six well clusters closely corresponded to the water quality framework and to observed water quality regimes in groundwater at Y-12. Four clusters were associated with nitrate, an S-3 Site contaminant, or with nonspecific contaminants commonly encountered at shallow depths at industrial sites (e.g., road salt). These four clusters were eliminated from the reference data set. Cumulative probability graphs were used within a cluster or group of clusters to distinguish contaminated wells from wells with ambient water quality. Only median values of unfiltered samples were plotted. Outlying data points (assumed to be contaminated samples) were identified and eliminated from the data set. When all outliers for a given inorganic had been identified and deleted from the data set, the reference concentration was set at the one-sided upper tolerance limit on the 95th percentile with 95% confidence. The methodology proved useful in integrating a large amount of data into the Y-12 plant groundwater conceptual framework and in identifying those wells or groups of wells that have monitoring or sample and analysis problems or that may be monitoring site-related contamination.},
doi = {10.2172/432798},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/432798}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1996},
month = {Fri Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1996}
}