Viability of natural attenuation in a petroleum-contaminated shallow sandy aquifer.
This study focused on evaluating and quantifying the potential of natural attenuation of groundwater at a petroleum-contaminated site in an industrial area of a satellite city of Seoul, Korea. Groundwater at the study site was contaminated with toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (TEX). Eight rounds of groundwater sampling and subsequent chemical analyses were performed over a period of 3 years. The groundwater quality data suggests that TEX concentrations at this site have been decreasing with time and that the TEX plume is at a quasi-steady state. Trend analysis, changes in mass flux and plume area also confirmed that the TEX plume has reached a quasi-steady state. The proportion of the total attenuation attributable to biodegredation has decreased over the monitoring period while contribution of other attenuating processes, such as dilution or dispersion, has increased. Based on the calculated attenuation rates, it would take more than 20 years to clean up the site by natural attenuation alone.
Lee
Jin-Yong
JY
GeoGreen21 Co., Ltd., Suite 519, Innovation Center, Research Park, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-818, South Korea.
Lee
Kang-Kun
KK
D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005618:Fresh Water; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D007220:Industrial Waste; D007723:Korea; D010578:Petroleum; D011891:Rain; D013997:Time Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
D007220:Industrial Waste; D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical