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Rayner JL, Donn MJ, Davis GB, Bastow TP, Lari KS, Johnston CD, King A, Furness A. Natural Source Zone Depletion of crude oil, gasoline, diesel and aviation gasoline petroleum in the same soil/aquifer system - An intensive intercomparison field study and simulation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 957:177451. [PMID: 39542277 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2024] [Revised: 10/21/2024] [Accepted: 11/06/2024] [Indexed: 11/17/2024]
Abstract
Petroleum biodegrades and naturally depletes. Natural Source Zone Depletion (NSZD) quantifies this at petroleum affected sites in support of management decisions for cessation of active remediation efforts. Whilst a range of NSZD estimates and methods are available, side by side comparison of NSZD rates across petroleum types in the same soil/groundwater system are lacking, especially linked to the weathering status of petroleum. At a former refinery site near Perth Western Australia, locations contaminated by crude oil, gasoline, diesel and aviation gasoline, have been intensively instrumented to enable (i) measurement of vadose zone major gas (O2, CO2, CH4), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and temperature depth profiles, (ii) online near-continuous temperature, water level, O2 and VOC concentrations, (iii) depth profiles of groundwater parameters, and (iv) in-well gases, temperatures, water and LNAPL thickness. These measurements were compared to a background location with no history of contamination. Multiple coring events were also undertaken to determine LNAPL mass and its vertical distribution at each location. Additionally, LiCor and Eflux was conducted to measure CO2 fluxes at ground surface. NSZD rates were estimated from the measurement methods across the four petroleum types and the background site. Despite NSZD estimates that differed across some methods at sites (for example at the gasoline and diesel sites Eflux/LiCor estimates were consistently lower by a factor of 3-4 than those obtained using oxygen/temperature depth profile data) the minimum-maximum range of mean NSZD rates showed a distinct decreasing order across the fuel types: highest rates being aviation gasoline (69,000-91,000 L/ha/y), then gasoline, diesel and crude oil (2700-6200 L/ha/y). Reasons for differences are explored. Analysis of LNAPL in cores and from wells, historical data comparisons and simulations over 50 years, show that composition, age and weathering of the releases are critical to current and long-term NSZD mass losses and rate estimates.
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Sookhak Lari K, Davis GB, Rayner JL, Bastow TP. Advective and diffusive gas phase transport in vadose zones: Importance for defining vapour risks and natural source zone depletion of petroleum hydrocarbons. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 255:121455. [PMID: 38527413 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Quantifying the interlinked behaviour of the soil microbiome, fluid flow, multi-component transport and partitioning, and biodegradation is key to characterising vapour risks and natural source zone depletion (NSZD) of light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) petroleum hydrocarbons. Critical to vapour transport and NSZD is transport of gases through the vadose zone (oxygen from the atmosphere, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), methane and carbon dioxide from the zone of LNAPL biodegradation). Volatilisation of VOCs from LNAPL, aerobic biodegradation, methanogenesis and heat production all generate gas pressure changes that may lead to enhanced gas fluxes apart from diffusion. Despite the importance of the gaseous phase dynamics in the vadose zone processes, the relative pressure changes and consequent scales of advective (buoyancy and pressure driven) / diffusive transport is less studied. We use a validated multi-phase multi-component non-isothermal modelling framework to differentiate gas transport mechanisms. We simulate a multicomponent unweathered gasoline LNAPL with high VOC content to maximise the potential for pressure changes due to volatilisation and to enable the joint effects of methanogenesis and shallower aerobic biodegradation of vapours to be assessed, along with heat production. Considering a uniform fine sand profile with LNAPL resident in the water table capillary zone, results suggest that biodegradation plays the key role in gas phase formation and consequent pressure build-up. Results suggest that advection is the main transport mechanism over a thin zone inside the LNAPL/capillary region, where the effective gaseous diffusion is very low. In the bulk of the vadose zone above the LNAPL region, the pressure change is minimal, and gaseous diffusion is dominant. Even for high biodegradation rate cases, pressure build-up due to heat generation (inducing buoyancy effects) is smaller than the contribution of gas formation due to biodegradation. The findings are critical to support broader assumptions of diffusive transport being dominant in vapour transport and NSZD assessments.
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Douglas GB, Vanderzalm JL, Williams M, Kirby JK, Kookana RS, Bastow TP, Bauer M, Bowles KC, Skuse D, Davis GB. PFAS contaminated asphalt and concrete - Knowledge gaps for future research and management. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 887:164025. [PMID: 37169188 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are now widespread in the environment. Globally, airfields and paved firefighting training surfaces are particularly affected due to extensive use of aqueous film forming foams (AFFF). This PFAS contamination in exposed concrete and asphalt has not been widely addressed. This review focusses on PFAS interaction with concrete and asphalt, traversing extraction, analytical identification/quantification, PFAS fractionation via differential adsorption on organic and inorganic substrates, and reuse options for contaminated concrete and asphalt. A total of 24 knowledge gaps and management challenges for concrete and asphalt characterisation and management have been identified.
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Bastow TP, Douglas GB, Davis GB. Volatilization Potential of Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances from Airfield Pavements and during Recycling of Asphalt. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:2202-2208. [PMID: 35781701 PMCID: PMC9540562 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water are typically present in their ionic (nonvolatile) forms; however, these can transition to their nonionic (volatile) forms when in contact with organic solvents and organic matrices. In particular, when PFAS are dissolved in organic solvents such as residues left from firefighting foams, fuels, and bitumen present in asphalt, the equilibrium between ionic and nonionic forms can trend toward more volatile nonionic forms of PFAS. We assessed the volatility of common PFAS based on calculated and available experimental data across ambient temperature ranges experienced by airfield pavements and at elevated temperatures associated with reworking asphalts for reuse. Volatilities are shown to be comparable to hydrocarbons in the semivolatile range, suggesting that volatilization is a viable loss mechanism for some PFAS that are nonvolatile in water. The present study points to future investigative needs for this unexplored mass loss mechanism and potential exposure pathway. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:2202-2208. © 2022 Commonwealth of Australia. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Davis GB, Rayner JL, Donn MJ, Johnston CD, Lukatelich R, King A, Bastow TP, Bekele E. Tracking NSZD mass removal rates over decades: Site-wide and local scale assessment of mass removal at a legacy petroleum site. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2022; 248:104007. [PMID: 35405439 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2022.104007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Long-term estimates of natural source zone depletion (NSZD) rates for petroleum LNAPL (light non-aqueous phase liquid) sites are not available. One-off measurements are often thought valid over the lifetime of LNAPL sites. In the context of site-wide LNAPL mass estimates, we report site-specific gasoline and diesel NSZD rates spanning 21-26 years. Using depth profiles of soil gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane, volatiles) above LNAPL, NSZD rates were estimated in 1994, 2006 and 2020 for diesel and 1999, 2009 and 2020 for gasoline. Each date also had soil-core mass estimates, which together with NSZD rates allow estimation of the longevity for LNAPL presence. Site-wide coring (in 1992, 2002, 2007) estimated LNAPL mass reductions of 12,000 t. For diesel NSZD, the ratio of NSZD rates for 2006 (16,000-49,000 L/ha/y) to those in 2020 (2600-14,000 L/ha/y) was ~3-6. By 2020, the 1994 diesel NSZD rates would have predicted the entire removal of measured mass (16-42 kg/m2). For gasoline, NSZD rates in 1999 were extremely high (50,000-270,000 L/ha/y) but 9-27 times lower (5800-10,000 L/ha/y) a decade later. The gasoline NSZD rates in 1999 predicted near complete mass removal in 2-12 years, but 10-11 kg/m2 was measured 10 and 21 years later which is 26% of the initial mass in 1999. The outcomes substantiate the need to understand NSZD rate changes over the lifetime of LNAPL-impacted sites.
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Murphy CWM, Davis GB, Rayner JL, Walsh T, Bastow TP, Butler AP, Puzon GJ, Morgan MJ. The role of predicted chemotactic and hydrocarbon degrading taxa in natural source zone depletion at a legacy petroleum hydrocarbon site. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 430:128482. [PMID: 35739665 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Petroleum hydrocarbon contamination is a global problem which can cause long-term environmental damage and impacts water security. Natural source zone depletion (NSZD) is the natural degradation of such contaminants. Chemotaxis is an aspect of NSZD which is not fully understood, but one that grants microorganisms the ability to alter their motion in response to a chemical concentration gradient potentially enhancing petroleum NSZD mass removal rates. This study investigates the distribution of potentially chemotactic and hydrocarbon degrading microbes (CD) across the water table of a legacy petroleum hydrocarbon site near Perth, Western Australia in areas impacted by crude oil, diesel and jet fuel. Core samples were recovered and analysed for hydrocarbon contamination using gas chromatography. Predictive metagenomic profiling was undertaken to infer functionality using a combination of 16 S rRNA sequencing and PICRUSt2 analysis. Naphthalene contamination was found to significantly increase the occurrence of potential CD microbes, including members of the Comamonadaceae and Geobacteraceae families, which may enhance NSZD. Further work to explore and define this link is important for reliable estimation of biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbon fuels. Furthermore, the outcomes suggest that the chemotactic parameter within existing NSZD models should be reviewed to accommodate CD accumulation in areas of naphthalene contamination, thereby providing a more accurate quantification of risk from petroleum impacts in subsurface environments, and the scale of risk mitigation due to NSZD.
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Bruckberger MC, Morgan MJ, Bastow TP, Walsh T, Prommer H, Mukhopadhyay A, Kaksonen AH, Davis GB, Puzon GJ. Investigation into the microbial communities and associated crude oil-contamination along a Gulf War impacted groundwater system in Kuwait. WATER RESEARCH 2020; 170:115314. [PMID: 31835139 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.115314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
During the First Gulf War (1991) a large number of oil wells were destroyed and oil fires subsequently extinguished with seawater. As a result Kuwait's sparse fresh groundwater resources were severely contaminated with crude oil. Since then limited research has focused on the microbial community ecology of the groundwater and their impact on the associated contamination. Here, the microbial community ecology (bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic) and how it relates to the characteristics of the hydrocarbon contaminants were examined for the first time since the 1991 event. This study was conducted using 15 wells along the main groundwater flow direction and detected several potential hydrocarbon degrading microorganisms such as Hyphomicrobiaceae, Porphyromonadaceae and Eurotiomycetes. The beta diversity of the microbial communities correlated significantly with total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentrations and salinity. The TPH consisted mainly of polar compounds present as an unresolved complex mixture (UCM) of a highly recalcitrant nature. Based on the proportions of TPH to dissolved organic carbon (DOC), the results indicate that some minor biodegradation has occurred within highly contaminated aquifer zones. However, overall the results from this study suggest that the observed variations in TPH concentrations among the sampled wells are mainly induced by mixing/dilution with pristine groundwater rather than by biodegradation of the contaminants. The findings make an important contribution to better understand the fate of the groundwater pollution in Kuwait, with important implications for the design of future remediation efforts.
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Sookhak Lari K, Davis GB, Rayner JL, Bastow TP, Puzon GJ. Natural source zone depletion of LNAPL: A critical review supporting modelling approaches. WATER RESEARCH 2019; 157:630-646. [PMID: 31004979 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2019.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2018] [Revised: 03/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Natural source zone depletion (NSZD) of light non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPLs) includes partitioning, transport and degradation of LNAPL components. NSZD is being considered as a site closure option during later stages of active remediation of LNAPL contaminated sites, and where LNAPL mass removal is limiting. To ensure NSZD meets compliance criteria and to design enhanced NSZD actions if required, residual risks posed by LNAPL and its long term behaviour require estimation. Prediction of long-term NSZD trends requires linking physicochemical partitioning and transport processes with bioprocesses at multiple scales within a modelling framework. Here we expand and build on the knowledge base of a recent review of NSZD, to establish the key processes and understanding required to model NSZD long term. We describe key challenges to our understanding, inclusive of the dominance of methanogenic or aerobic biodegradation processes, the potentially changeability of rates due to the weathering profile of LNAPL product types and ages, and linkages to underlying bioprocesses. We critically discuss different scales in subsurface simulation and modelling of NSZD. Focusing on processes at Darcy scale, 36 models addressing processes of importance to NSZD are investigated. We investigate the capabilities of models to accommodate more than 20 subsurface transport and transformation phenomena and present comparisons in several tables. We discuss the applicability of each group of models for specific site conditions.
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Bruckberger MC, Bastow TP, Morgan MJ, Gleeson D, Banning N, Davis G, Puzon GJ. Biodegradability of polar compounds formed from weathered diesel. Biodegradation 2018; 29:443-461. [DOI: 10.1007/s10532-018-9841-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Lekmine G, Sookhak Lari K, Johnston CD, Bastow TP, Rayner JL, Davis GB. Evaluating the reliability of equilibrium dissolution assumption from residual gasoline in contact with water saturated sands. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2017; 196:30-42. [PMID: 27979461 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2016.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2016] [Revised: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Understanding dissolution dynamics of hazardous compounds from complex gasoline mixtures is a key to long-term predictions of groundwater risks. The aim of this study was to investigate if the local equilibrium assumption for BTEX and TMBs (trimethylbenzenes) dissolution was valid under variable saturation in two dimensional flow conditions and evaluate the impact of local heterogeneities when equilibrium is verified at the scale of investigation. An initial residual gasoline saturation was established over the upper two-thirds of a water saturated sand pack. A constant horizontal pore velocity was maintained and water samples were recovered across 38 sampling ports over 141days. Inside the residual NAPL zone, BTEX and TMBs dissolution curves were in agreement with the TMVOC model based on the local equilibrium assumption. Results compared to previous numerical studies suggest the presence of small scale dissolution fingering created perpendicular to the horizontal dissolution front, mainly triggered by heterogeneities in the medium structure and the local NAPL residual saturation. In the transition zone, TMVOC was able to represent a range of behaviours exhibited by the data, confirming equilibrium or near-equilibrium dissolution at the scale of investigation. The model locally showed discrepancies with the most soluble compounds, i.e. benzene and toluene, due to local heterogeneities exhibiting that at lower scale flow bypassing and channelling may have occurred. In these conditions mass transfer rates were still high enough to fall under the equilibrium assumption in TMVOC at the scale of investigation. Comparisons with other models involving upscaled mass transfer rates demonstrated that such approximations with TMVOC could lead to overestimate BTEX dissolution rates and underestimate the total remediation time.
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Vasudevan M, Johnston CD, Bastow TP, Lekmine G, Rayner JL, Nambi IM, Suresh Kumar G, Ravi Krishna R, Davis GB. Effect of compositional heterogeneity on dissolution of non-ideal LNAPL mixtures. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2016; 194:10-16. [PMID: 27669377 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2016.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Revised: 09/09/2016] [Accepted: 09/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The extent of dissolution of petroleum hydrocarbon fuels into groundwater depends greatly on fuel composition. Petroleum fuels can consist of thousands of compounds creating different interactions within the non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL), thereby affecting the relative dissolution of the components and hence a groundwater plume's composition over long periods. Laboratory experiments were conducted to study the variability in the effective solubilities and activity coefficients for common constituents of gasoline fuels (benzene, toluene, p-xylene and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene) (BTX) in matrices with an extreme range of molar volumes and chemical affinities. Four synthetic mixtures were investigated comprising BTX with the bulk of the NAPL mixtures made up of either, ethylbenzene (an aromatic like BTX with similar molar volume); 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (an aromatic with a greater molar volume); n-hexane (an aliphatic with a low molar volume); and n-decane (an aliphatic with a high molar volume). Equilibrium solubility values for the constituents were under-predicted by Raoult's law by up to 30% (higher experimental concentrations) for the mixture with n-hexane as a filler and over-predicted by up to 12% (lower experimental concentrations) for the aromatic mixtures with ethylbenzene and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene as fillers. Application of PP-LFER (poly-parameter linear free energy relationship) model for non-ideal mixtures also resulted in poor correlation between experimentally measured and predicted concentrations, indicating that differences in chemical affinities can be the major cause of deviation from ideal behavior. Synthetic mixtures were compared with the dissolution behavior of fresh and naturally weathered unleaded gasoline. The presence of lighter aliphatic components in the gasoline had a profound effect on estimating effective solubility due to chemical affinity differences (estimated at 0.0055 per percentage increase in the molar proportion of aliphatic) as well as reduced molar volumes (estimated at -0.0091 in the activity coefficient per unit increase in molar volume, mL/mol). Previously measured changes in activity coefficients due to natural weathering of 0.25 compares well to 0.27 calculated here based on changes in the chemical affinity and molar volumes. The study suggests that the initial estimation of the composition of a fuel is crucial in evaluating dissolution processes due to ideal and non-ideal dissolution, and in predicting long term dissolution trends and the longevity of NAPL petroleum plume risks.
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Patterson BM, Lee M, Bastow TP, Wilson JT, Donn MJ, Furness A, Goodwin B, Manefield M. Concentration effects on biotic and abiotic processes in the removal of 1,1,2-trichloroethane and vinyl chloride using carbon-amended ZVI. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2016; 188:1-11. [PMID: 26934432 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2016.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2015] [Revised: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/14/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
A permeable reactive barrier, consisting of both zero valent iron (ZVI) and a biodegradable organic carbon, was evaluated for the remediation of 1,1,2-trichloroethane (1,1,2-TCA) contaminated groundwater. During an 888 day laboratory column study, degradation rates initially stabilized with a degradation half-life of 4.4±0.4 days. Based on the accumulation of vinyl chloride (VC) and limited production of 1,1-dichloroethene (1,1-DCE) and 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA), the dominant degradation pathway was likely abiotic dichloroelimination to form VC. Degradation of VC was not observed based on the accumulation of VC and limited ethene production. After a step reduction in the influent concentration of 1,1,2-TCA from 170±20 mg L(-1) to 39±11 mg L(-1), the degradation half-life decreased 5-fold to 0.83±0.17 days. The isotopic enrichment factor of 1,1,2-TCA also changed after the step reduction from -14.6±0.7‰ to -0.72±0.12‰, suggesting a possible change in the degradation mechanism from abiotic reductive degradation to biodegradation. Microbiological data suggested a co-culture of Desulfitobacterium and Dehalococcoides was responsible for the biodegradation of 1,1,2-TCA to ethene.
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Johnston CD, Davis GB, Bastow TP, Woodbury RJ, Rao PSC, Annable MD, Rhodes S. Mass discharge assessment at a brominated DNAPL site: Effects of known DNAPL source mass removal. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2014; 164:100-113. [PMID: 24973505 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2014.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Revised: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Management and closure of contaminated sites is increasingly being proposed on the basis of mass flux of dissolved contaminants in groundwater. Better understanding of the links between source mass removal and contaminant mass fluxes in groundwater would allow greater acceptance of this metric in dealing with contaminated sites. Our objectives here were to show how measurements of the distribution of contaminant mass flux and the overall mass discharge emanating from the source under undisturbed groundwater conditions could be related to the processes and extent of source mass depletion. In addition, these estimates of mass discharge were sought in the application of agreed remediation targets set in terms of pumped groundwater quality from offsite wells. Results are reported from field studies conducted over a 5-year period at a brominated DNAPL (tetrabromoethane, TBA; and tribromoethene, TriBE) site located in suburban Perth, Western Australia. Groundwater fluxes (qw; L(3)/L(2)/T) and mass fluxes (Jc; M/L(2)/T) of dissolved brominated compounds were simultaneously estimated by deploying Passive Flux Meters (PFMs) in wells in a heterogeneous layered aquifer. PFMs were deployed in control plane (CP) wells immediately down-gradient of the source zone, before (2006) and after (2011) 69-85% of the source mass was removed, mainly by groundwater pumping from the source zone. The high-resolution (26-cm depth interval) measures of qw and Jc along the source CP allowed investigation of the DNAPL source-zone architecture and impacts of source mass removal. Comparable estimates of total mass discharge (MD; M/T) across the source zone CP reduced from 104gday(-1) to 24-31gday(-1) (70-77% reductions). Importantly, this mass discharge reduction was consistent with the estimated proportion of source mass remaining at the site (15-31%). That is, a linear relationship between mass discharge and source mass is suggested. The spatial detail of groundwater and mass flux distributions also provided further evidence of the source zone architecture and DNAPL mass depletion processes. This was especially apparent in different mass-depletion rates from distinct parts of the CP. High mass fluxes and groundwater fluxes located near the base of the aquifer dominated in terms of the dissolved mass flux in the profile, although not in terms of concentrations. Reductions observed in Jc and MD were used to better target future remedial efforts. Integration of the observations from the PFM deployments and the source mass depletion provided a basis for establishing flux-based management criteria for the site.
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Lekmine G, Bastow TP, Johnston CD, Davis GB. Dissolution of multi-component LNAPL gasolines: the effects of weathering and composition. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2014; 160:1-11. [PMID: 24594408 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2014.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2013] [Revised: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The composition of light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) gasoline and other petroleum products changes profoundly over their life once released into aquifers. However limited attention has been given to how such changes affect key parameters such as the activity coefficients which control partitioning of components of petroleum fuel into groundwater and are used to predict long-term risk from fuel releases. Laboratory experiments were conducted on a range of fresh, weathered and synthetic gasoline mixtures designed to mimic the expected changes in composition in an aquifer. Weathered gasoline created under controlled evaporation and water washing, and naturally weathered gasoline, were investigated. Equilibrium concentrations in water and molar fractions in the gasoline mixtures were compared with equilibrium concentrations predicted by Raoult's law assuming ideal behaviour of the solutions. The experiments carried out allowed the relative sensitivity of the activity coefficients of key risk drivers such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) compounds to be quantified with respect to the presence of other types of compounds and where the source LNAPL had undergone different types of weathering. Results differed for the mixtures examined but in some cases higher than predicted dissolved equilibrium concentrations showed non-ideal behaviour for toluene, benzene and xylenes. Comparison of the activity coefficients showed that the naturally weathered gasoline and a 50% evaporated unleaded gasoline present a similar range of values varying between 1.0 and 1.2, suggesting close to ideal partitioning between the LNAPL and water. The fresh and water-washed gasoline had higher values for the activity coefficient, from 1.2 to 1.4, indicating non-ideal partitioning. Results from synthetic mixtures demonstrated that these differences could be due to the different molar fractions of the nC5 and nC6 aliphatic hydrocarbons acting on the molecular interactions, while differences in molar volumes seemed to have less of an influence on ideality.
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Patterson BM, Aravena R, Davis GB, Furness AJ, Bastow TP, Bouchard D. Multiple lines of evidence to demonstrate vinyl chloride aerobic biodegradation in the vadose zone, and factors controlling rates. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2013; 153:69-77. [PMID: 23999077 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2013.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2013] [Revised: 07/20/2013] [Accepted: 07/25/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
A field-based investigation was conducted at a contaminated site where the vadose zone was contaminated with a range of chlorinated hydrocarbons. The investigation consisted of groundwater and multilevel soil-gas monitoring of a range of contaminants and gases, along with isotope measurements and microbiology studies. The investigation provided multiple lines of evidence that demonstrated aerobic biodegradation of vinyl chloride (VC) was occurring in the vadose zone (i) above the on-site source zone, and (ii) above the downgradient off-site groundwater plume location. Data from both the on-site and off-site locations were consistent in showing substantially greater (an order of magnitude greater) rates of VC removal from the aerobic vadose zone compared to more recalcitrant contaminants trichloroethene (TCE) and tetrachloroethene (PCE). Soil gas VC isotope analysis showed substantial isotopic enrichment of VC (δ¹³C -5.2 to -10.9‰) compared to groundwater (δ¹³C -39.5‰) at the on-site location. Soil gas CO₂ isotope analysis at both locations showed that CO₂ was highly isotopically depleted (δ¹³C -28.8 to -33.3‰), compared to soil gas CO₂ data originating from natural sediment organic matter (δ¹³C= -14.7 to -21.3‰). The soil gas CO2 δ¹³C values were consistent with near-water table VC groundwater δ¹³C values (-36.8 to -39.5‰), suggesting CO₂ originating from aerobic biodegradation of VC. Bacteria that had functional genes (ethene monooxygenase (etnC) and epoxyalkane transferase (etnE)) involved in ethene metabolism and VC oxidation were more abundant at the source zone where oxygen co-existed with VC. The distribution of VC and oxygen vadose zone vapour plumes, together with long-term changes in soil gas CO₂ concentrations and temperature, provided information to elucidate the factors controlling aerobic biodegradation of VC in the vadose zone. Based on the overlapping VC and oxygen vadose zone vapour plumes, aerobic vapour biodegradation rates were independent of substrate (VC and/or oxygen) concentration. The high correlation (R=0.962 to 0.975) between CO₂ concentrations and temperature suggested that aerobic biodegradation of VC was controlled by bacterial activity that was regulated by the temperature within the vadose zone. When assessing a contaminated site for possible vapour intrusion into buildings, accounting for environmental conditions for aerobic biodegradation of VC in the vadose zone should improve the assessment of environmental risk of VC intrusion into buildings, enabling better identification and prioritisation of contaminated sites to be remediated.
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Patterson BM, Furness AJ, Bastow TP. Soil gas carbon dioxide probe: laboratory testing and field evaluation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2013; 15:1062-1069. [PMID: 23563305 DOI: 10.1039/c3em00100h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
An automated semi-continuous on-line instrument has been developed to measure CO2 gas concentrations in the vadose zone. The instrument uses semi-permeable polymer tubing (CO2 probe) for diffusion based sampling, coupled to an infra red sensor. The system operated automatically by intermittently purging the CO2 probe, which was installed in the vadose zone, with a non-CO2 gas at a low flow rate. The gas exiting the CO2 probe was monitored at the ground surface using a miniature infra red sensor and the response related to the vadose zone soil gas CO2 concentration. The in situ CO2 probes provided a reliable monitoring technique under long-term (18 months) aggressive and dynamic field conditions, with no interference observed from non-CO2 gases and volatile organic compounds. The probes provided data that were comparable to conventional grab sampling techniques without the labour-intensive sample collection and processing associated with these conventional techniques. Also, disturbance to vadose zone CO2 profiles from repeated grab samples during long-term semi-continuous monitoring could potential be reduced by using the diffusion based sampling technique.
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Johnston CD, Davis GB, Bastow TP, Annable MD, Trefry MG, Furness A, Geste Y, Woodbury RJ, Rao PSC, Rhodes S. The use of mass depletion-mass flux reduction relationships during pumping to determine source zone mass of a reactive brominated-solvent DNAPL. JOURNAL OF CONTAMINANT HYDROLOGY 2013; 144:122-137. [PMID: 23247401 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconhyd.2012.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2012] [Revised: 11/12/2012] [Accepted: 11/16/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Mass depletion-mass flux relationships usually applied to a groundwater plume were established at field scale for groundwater pumped from within the source zone of a dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL). These were used as part of multiple lines of evidence in establishing the DNAPL source mass and architecture. Simplified source mass-dissolved concentration models including those described by exponential, power, and error functions as well as a rational mass equation based on the equilibrium stream tube approach were fitted to data from 285 days of source zone pumping (SZP) from a single well which removed 152 kg of dissolved organics from a multi-component, reactive brominated solvent DNAPL. The total molar concentration of the source compound, tetrabromoethane and its daughter products was used as a single measure of contaminant concentration to relate to source mass. A partitioning inter-well tracer test (PITT) conducted prior to the SZP provided estimates of groundwater travel times, enabling parameterisation of the models. After accounting for capture of the down-gradient dissolved plume, all models provided a good fit to the observed data. It was shown that differentiation between models would only emerge after appreciably more pumping from the source zone. The model fits were not particularly sensitive to the exponent parameters and variance of groundwater travel time. In addition, the multi-component nature of the DNAPL did not seem to affect the utility of the models for the period examined. Estimates of the DNAPL mass prior to the start of SZP from the models were greatest where the log of the variance of travel time was used explicitly in the source depletion models (mean 295kg) compared to where the associated power exponent and variance was fitted freely (mean 258 kg). The estimates of source mass were close to that of 220kg determined from the PITT. In addition to the PITT, multi-level groundwater sampling from within the source zone provided important supporting information for developing the conceptual model of the source zone. It is concluded that SZP may be an effective and relatively simple means for characterising DNAPL source zones.
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Patterson BM, Pitoi MM, Furness AJ, Bastow TP, McKinley AJ. Fate of N-nitrosodimethylamine in recycled water after recharge into anaerobic aquifer. WATER RESEARCH 2012; 46:1260-1272. [PMID: 22244272 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2011.12.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2011] [Revised: 12/13/2011] [Accepted: 12/14/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Laboratory and field experiments were undertaken to assess the fate of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in aerobic recycled water that was recharged into a deep anaerobic pyritic aquifer, as part of a managed aquifer recharge (MAR) strategy. Laboratory studies demonstrated a high mobility of NDMA in the Leederville aquifer system with a retardation coefficient of 1.1. Anaerobic degradation column and (14)C-NDMA microcosm studies showed that anaerobic conditions of the aquifer provided a suitable environment for the biodegradation of NDMA with first-order kinetics. At microgram per litre concentrations, inhibition of biodegradation was observed with degradation half-lives (260±20 days) up to an order of magnitude greater than at nanogram per litre concentrations (25-150 days), which are more typical of environmental concentrations. No threshold effects were observed at the lower ng L(-1) concentrations with NDMA concentrations reduced from 560 ng L(-1) to <6 ng L(-1) over a 42 day 14C-NDMA aerobic microcosm experiment. Aerobic (14)C-NDMA microcosm studies were also undertaken to assess potential aerobic degradation, likely to occur close to the recharge bore. These microcosm experiments showed a faster degradation rate than anaerobic microcosms, with a degradation half-life of 8±2 days, after a lag period of approximately 10 days. Results from a MAR field trial recharging the Leederville aquifer with aerobic recycled water showed that NDMA concentrations reduced from 2.5±1.0 ng L(-1) to 1.3±0.4 ng L(-1) between the recharge bore and a monitoring location 20 m down gradient (an estimated aquifer residence time of 10 days), consistent with data from the aerobic microcosm experiment. Further down gradient, in the anaerobic zone of the aquifer, NDMA degradation could not be assessed, as NDMA concentrations were too close to their analytical detection limit (<1 ng L(-1)).
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Pitoi MM, Patterson BM, Furness AJ, Bastow TP, McKinley AJ. Fate of N-nitrosomorpholine in an anaerobic aquifer used for managed aquifer recharge: a column study. WATER RESEARCH 2011; 45:2550-2560. [PMID: 21396674 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2011.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2010] [Revised: 02/04/2011] [Accepted: 02/12/2011] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The fate of N-nitrosomorpholine (NMOR) was evaluated at microgram and nanogram per litre concentrations. Experiments were undertaken to simulate the passage of groundwater contaminants through a deep anaerobic pyritic aquifer system, as part of a managed aquifer recharge (MAR) strategy. Sorption studies demonstrated the high mobility of NMOR in the Leederville aquifer system, with retardation coefficients between 1.2 and 1.6. Degradation studies from a 351 day column experiment and a 506 day stop-flow column experiment showed an anaerobic biologically induced reductive degradation process which followed first order kinetics. A biological lag-time of less than 3 months and a transient accumulation of morpholine (MOR) were also noted during the degradation. Comparable half-life degradation rates of 40-45 days were observed over three orders of magnitude in concentration (200 ng L(-1) to 650 μg L(-1)). An inhibitory effect on microorganism responsible to the biodegradation of NMOR at 650 μg L(-1) or a threshold effect at 200 ng L(-1) was not observed during these experiments.
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Qi X, Crooke E, Ross A, Bastow TP, Stalvies C. Revealing the properties of oils from their dissolved hydrocarbon compounds in water with an integrated sensor array system. Analyst 2011; 136:3731-8. [DOI: 10.1039/c1an15294g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Franzmann PD, Plumb JJ, Wylie JT, Robertson WJ, Douglas GB, Bastow TP, Kaksonen AH, Puhakka JA. Treatment of saline, acidic, metal-contaminated groundwater from the Western Australian Wheatbelt. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2008; 58:2353-2364. [PMID: 19092214 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2008.582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Managing acidic, metal-containing saline ground and drainage waters in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia is an environmental and economic challenge. Sulfate-reducing fluidised bed bioreactors are shown to be technically capable of treating high salt, low pH, metal containing waters from the town of Narembeen in the Wheatbelt so as to reduce acidity and to remove most of the undesirable metal contaminants. The hydraulic residence time (HRT) limit for a stable process with groundwater from the region of Narembeen was >16 hours. The maximal rate of sulfate reduction in the laboratory system treating Narembeen groundwater was similar to rates observed in comparable applications of the process at other sites, ca. 3 g sulfate (L-reactor)(-1) day(-1). Salts that are relatively free of metal contaminants can be produced from water that has been treated by the sulfate-reducing fluidised bed bioreactor. It is unlikely that metal precipitates, captured from Wheatbelt waters by the process, would be of economic value. If sulfate-reducing fluidised bed reactors were considered technologically appropriate at larger scale, the decision to use them would be based on the necessity to take action, the comparative effectiveness of competing technologies, and the relative costs of competing technologies.
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Alexander R, Bastow TP, Kagi RI, Singh RK. Identification of 1,2,2,5-tetramethyltetralin and 1,2,2,5,6-pentamethyltetralin as racemates in petroleum. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1992. [DOI: 10.1039/c39920001712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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