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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Development of water quality criteria for diesel fuel No. 2 for remediating contaminated groundwater

Conference ·
OSTI ID:37390
; ;  [1]
  1. McLaren/Hart-ChemRisk, Cleveland, OH (United States)
Site-specific ambient water quality criteria (AWQC) were developed as benchmarks for back-calculating safe levels of diesel fuel No. 2 as a petroleum mixture in groundwater that could migrate to Fish Creek north of Butler, Indiana. Three types of AWQC were considered relevant according to State-modified US Environmental Protection Agency procedures: An Acute Aquatic Criterion (AAC); A Chronic Aquatic Criterion (CAC); and A Terrestrial Life Cycle Safe Concentration (TLSC). The AAC is the maximum concentration considered protective for aquatic life exposed in the zone of discharge-induced mixing and outside the zone of initial dilution. The remaining criteria applies to all areas of a stream outside the mixing zone. The CAC is intended to protect aquatic life from chronic toxic effects under a four-day average exposure. The TLSC is developed to protect terrestrial organisms that may experience a four-day average exposure to surface water as a result of consumption of aquatic organisms and water from the creek. Scientifically valid toxicological data on the water soluble fraction of diesel fuel and site-specific resident and surrogate species information were used for criterion development. An AAC of 11.4 mg/L was derived as the benchmark for back-calculating a safe level of diesel fuel in groundwater based on modeled groundwater and surface water flow from the spill area to the creek. Uncertainties and limitations of developing benchmark concentrations for mixtures are presented.
OSTI ID:
37390
Report Number(s):
CONF-9410273--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English