Transport of volatile organic compounds from soil into a residential basement

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6899002

Hodgson, A T; Garbesi, K; Sextro, R G; Daisey, J M ^[1]

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1. California Univ., Berkeley, CA (USA)

This paper describes a study conducted to assess the importance of pressure-driven flow of soil gas into the basement of a house adjacent to a municipal landfill as an entry mechanism for volatile organic compounds (VOC). Twenty-six VOC were identified in soil gas. The concentrations of many of these compounds were much higher in soil gas than in outdoor and indoor air. Measurement of the pressure field developed in the soil around the house while the basement was depressurized with an exhaust fan showed that soil gas, up to a distance of 12 m from the house, was well coupled with basement air. However, monitoring of the movement of tracer gas from the soil into the basement with depressurization demonstrated that the convective flow of soil gas into the basement would be negligible at typical operating conditions. This flow was limited by the relatively low permeability of the soil ({approximately}2 {times} 10{sup {minus} 12}m{sup 2}). Although diffusion is probably the dominant entry mechanism for VOC in soil gas at this particular house, pressure-driven flow can be an important entry mechanism under conditions of high pressure coupling, more permeable soil, and high concentrations of VOC in soil gas.

• OSTI ID: 6899002
• Report Number(s): CONF-880679--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320107 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Systems-- (1987-)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
540220 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
ALKANES
BUILDINGS
CHEMISTRY
CONTROL
DIFFUSION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HYDROCARBONS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
MANAGEMENT
MASS TRANSFER
METHANE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
SANITARY LANDFILLS
SOIL CHEMISTRY
SOILS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT