Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Journal of Environmental Management
ISSN
03014797
Volume
224
First Page
97
Last Page
105
Publisher
Academic Press
School
School of Engineering
RAS ID
26903
Abstract
Remediating sites contaminated with light non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPLs) is a demanding and often prolonged task. It is vital to determine when it is appropriate to cease engineered remedial efforts based on the long-term effectiveness of remediation technology options. For the first time, the long term effectiveness of a range of LNAPL remediation approaches including skimming and vacuum-enhanced skimming each with and without water table drawdown was simulated through a multi-phase and multi-component approach. LNAPL components of gasoline were simulated to show how component changes affect the LNAPL's multi-phase behaviour and to inform the risk profile of the LNAPL. The four remediation approaches along with five types of soils, two states of the LNAPL specific mass and finite and infinite LNAPL plumes resulted in 80 simulation scenarios. Effective conservative mass removal endpoints for all the simulations were determined. As a key driver of risk, the persistence and mass removal of benzene was investigated across the scenarios. The time to effectively achieve a technology endpoint varied from 2 to 6 years. The recovered LNAPL in the liquid phase varied from 5% to 53% of the initial mass. The recovered LNAPL mass as extracted vapour was also quantified. Additional mass loss through induced biodegradation was not determined. Across numerous field conditions and release incidents, graphical outcomes provide conservative (i.e. more prolonged or greater mass recovery potential) LNAPL remediation endpoints for use in discussing the halting or continuance of engineered remedial efforts.
DOI
10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.07.041
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Sookhak Lari, K., Rayner, J. L., & Davis, G. B. (2018). Towards characterizing LNAPL remediation endpoints. Journal of Environmental Management, 224, 97-105. Available here