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

Strategy for developing remediation target concentrations based on human exposure duration considerations

Conference ·
OSTI ID:524690
; ;  [1]
  1. ENVIRON Corp., Princeton, NJ (United States)

A risk-based strategy for calculating remediation target concentrations (RTCs) has been developed based on (1) the toxicity of the substances of primary concern, (2) the exposure period considered when evaluating different types of potential health effects, and (3) the timeframe of potential exposures. In developing RTCs, it is important to consider the likely period of human exposure and the potential for natural attenuation to reduce residual contaminant concentrations over time. This methodology for developing RTCs has received acceptance by USEPA for soil cleanup at a Superfund site. For this site, USEPA required that soils be remediated to a level that will protect ground water and that ground water contamination be addressed using a pump and treat remedy. An important component of the remedy ultimately adopted at the site is continued monitoring of the ground water to ensure that chemical concentrations in ground water are reduced below the cleanup goals. Soil sampling at the completion of the ground water remedy may also be required to demonstrate that chemical concentrations in soil at the end of the ground water cleanup are also at acceptable levels. Using a leaching model, the soil RTCs were defined as the concentrations remaining in soil after active soil remediation that would not result in leachate concentrations that exceed the ground water cleanup goals, on average, after completion of the ground water remedy.

OSTI ID:
524690
Report Number(s):
CONF-9404330--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English