Monitored Natural Attenuation of Perchlorate in Groundwater
Abstract
Solutions-IES identified and tested the processes and methods needed to obtain lines of evidence to support monitored natural attenuation (MNA) as a remedy for perchlorate contaminated groundwater. The information and observations were compiled in a guidance document, which was then applied to two field demonstration sites in Maryland for validation. The first site was located on the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Indian Head, MD, and the second at a manufacturing facility in Maryland. The work was funded by the ESTCP Project ER-200428. The goals of this project were to provide Department of Defense (DoD) managers and industry professionals with the tools needed to demonstrate to regulatory agencies that MNA can be an effective remedy for managing the environmental impacts of perchlorate contaminated groundwater. To assess the demonstration sites, the project used the tiered approach developed and described in the Perchlorate MNA Protocol (ESTCP, 2008) prepared during this project. The Protocol guides the end user through the process of developing multiple lines of evidence to support perchlorate MNA. It includes the following steps: Tier 1 - Plume stability and geometry; Tier 2 - Biogeochemical parameters and biological indicators; Tier 3 - Biodegradation rates. At the Indian Head site, trends in groundwater flow, biogeochemical parameters, microbial populations, and perchlorate concentrations indicated that perchlorate attenuates mostly as a result of nonbiological mechanisms near the presumed source and areas downgradient from the source but prior to discharge to Mattawoman Creek, a large tributary of the Potomac River. As contaminated groundwater moves away from the source area toward the discharge zone along the creek bank, perchlorate was shown to biologically degrade in the intertidal, organic-rich Littoral Zone.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA539269
Entities
Organizations
- Environmental Security Technology Certification Program