Delineation of coal tar dense nonaqueous phase liquid and groundwater plumes at a former manufactured gas plant site. Final report
- Science and Technology Management, Inc., Brookfield, WI (United States)
- Philip Environmental Services Corp., Columbia, IL (United States)
- Ish Inc., Cupertino, CA (United States)
- META Environmental, Inc., Watertown, MA (United States)
- GEI Consultants, Inc., Colchester, CT (United States)
This report presents the results of a field investigation at a former manufactured gas plant (MGP) site in the Midwest. The extent of coal tar in the subsurface was estimated using 53 soil borings and 74 soil samples. Three alternative delineation methods were compared. The extent of the dissolved-phase plume was based on 24 monitoring wells and 8 direct-push probeholes. The tar has migrated about 400 ft (122 m) from the gas holder area. Although the exact time of release is not known, the average flow rate for the coal tar is estimated as between 5.5 ft/yr (1.7 m/yr) and 6.5 ft/yr (2.0 m/yr), based on the operational history of the former MGP. Tar migration appears to be controlled by a sand-filled paleochannel within the upper surface of a very tight clay-till, less than 20 ft (6.1 m) below ground surface. Despite having characteristics typical of pumpable tar, a short duration coal tar recovery test in the central portion of the coal tar zone suggested that tar removal with pumping wells was not a viable remediation alternative. The dissolved-phase plume occurs only in a relatively narrow halo along the sides of the DNAPL, with very little lateral or vertical movement away from the DNAPL source. The maximum extent of the dissolved-phase plume is about 600 ft (180 m) from the gas holder areas, significantly less than predicted based on advective groundwater flow rates. The results indicate that the extent of the dissolved-phase plume may be limited by the rate of fluid tar migration and attenuation processes within the aquifer.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst. (EPRI), Palo Alto, CA (United States); Science and Technology Management, Inc., Brookfield, WI (United States); Philip Environmental Services Corp., Columbia, IL (United States); Ish Inc., Cupertino, CA (United States); META Environmental, Inc., Watertown, MA (United States); GEI Consultants, Inc., Colchester, CT (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 362588
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-TR-111537; TRN: AHC29926%%243
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Nov 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
The effect of source removal on MGP site contaminants in groundwater at Site 24
Characterization and monitoring before and after source removal at a former manufactured gas plant (MGP) disposal site. Final report