Horizontal and vertical distribution of contaminant solvents introduced during different periods into coastal plain aquifers

Conference · Mon Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:6365657

Lewis, S E; Aadland, R K ^[1]

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1. Westinghouse Savannah River Co., Aiken, SC (United States)

Within a 10 square mile sector in the NW part of the Savannah River Site, degreasing solvents, trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) from contaminant plumes primarily within Tertiary Coastal Plain strata. In the central area, TCE has migrated farther down-section than PCE; to the north, TCE concentrations are > PCE, although both are significantly lower. SW groundwater flow characterizes aquifers beneath the region. Vertical migration potentials are downward. Within the central area, maximum contaminant concentrations are confined to the upper part of the Steed Pond aquifer. Wells do not penetrate deep enough in the central area to determine if contaminants > 5 ppb occur below the 30-50 ft thick Crouch Branch confining unit (CBcu). In the NE part of the sector, the confining layers are thinner, and contaminants are in the Crouch Branch aquifer (CRa) beneath the CBcu. The plume originating from the NE part of the area extends steeply downward to a 360+ ft depth below the surface (30--20 ft above mean sea level), and extends laterally as two distinct lobes of high concentration in the Middle Sand aquifer zone (MSa) within the CBcu and in the CBa in the Cretaceous part of the stratigraphic section. The plume extending beneath the NE part of the area has the deepest known vertical extent. The PCE plume shows relatively moderate levels of contamination extending down to the Middle Sand aquifer zone, but only very low concentrations at deeper levels. In the central part of the area, multiple plumes of high contaminant concentration are steeply inclined from the vertical in the Steed Pond aquifer, whereas high concentrations of PCE do not show as much areal distribution as TCE.

• OSTI ID: 6365657
• Report Number(s): CONF-9304188--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 25:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

053003* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Environmental Aspects-- Chemical & Thermal Effluents-- (1992-)
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GROUND WATER
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LAND POLLUTION
MASS TRANSFER
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
US AEC
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
WATER
WATER POLLUTION