Description and hydrogeologic evaluation of nine hazardous-waste sites in Kansas 1984-86

Book · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5685879

Hart, R J; Spruill, T B

Wastes generated at nine hazardous-waste sites in Kansas were disposed in open pits, 55-gal drums, or large storage tanks. These disposal methods have the potential to contaminate groundwater beneath the sites, the soil on the sites, and nearby surface water bodies. Various activities on the nine sites included production of diborane, transfer oil waste, production of soda ash, use of solvents for the manufacture of farm implements, reclamation of solvents and paints, oil-refinery wastes, meat packaging, and the manufacture and cleaning of tanker-truck tanks. Monitoring wells were installed upgradient and downgradient from the potential contamination source on each site. Strict decontamination procedures were followed to prevent cross contamination between well installations. Air-quality surveys were made on each site before other investigative procedures started. Hydrogeologic investigative techniques, such as terrain geophysical surveys, gamma-ray logs, and laboratory permeameter tests, were used. Groundwater level measurements provide data to determine the direction of flow. Groundwater contamination detected under the sites posed the greatest threat to the environment because of possible migration of contaminants by groundwater flow. Concentrations of volatile organic compounds, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and trace metals were detected in the groundwater at several of the sites. Many of the same compounds detected in the groundwater also were detected in soil and bed-material samples collected onsite or adjacent to the sites. Several contaminants were detected in background samples of groundwater and soil.

• OSTI ID: 5685879
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR QUALITY
AROMATICS
COATINGS
CONTAMINATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION VII
GROUND WATER
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
KANSAS
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
MATTER
METALS
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PAINTS
POLLUTION
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
SOILS
SOLVENTS
SURFACE WATERS
TRACE AMOUNTS
USA
VOLATILE MATTER
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WATER