An Evaluation of Soil-Gas Surveying for H2S for Locating Subsurface Hydrocarbon Contamination |
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| Authors: | Gary A. Robbins Brian E. McAninch Francis M. Gavas Patricia M. Ellis |
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| Affiliation: | Dr. Gary A. Robbins;is a professor of hydrogeology at the University of Connecticut (Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, Box U-45, Storrs, CT 06269;(203) 486–1392, fax (203) 486–1383). He was previously employed as a senior project hydro- geologist with Woodward-Clyde Consultants, as a lecturer and assistant professor at Texas A&M University, and as a project geologist with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Brian E. McAninch;is a doctoral student in hydrogeology at the University of Connecticut (Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, Box U-45, Storrs, CT 06269). He holds a B.A. in geology from Oberlin College, and an M.S. from Brown University;he was formerly employed by Kurz Associates Inc., Bridgewater, Massachusetts, as a project hydrogeologist. Francis M. Gavas;is a hydrologist at the Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Underground Storage Tank Branch (715 Grantham Lane, New Castle, DE19720). He holds a B.S. in geology from the University of Delaware and was formerly employed by Lippincott Engineering Associates Inc., Riverside, New Jersey, as an environmental scientist. Dr. Patricia M. Ellis;is a hydrologist with the Delaware Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Underground Storage Tank Branch. She holds a B.A. in geology from the University of Rochester, an M.A. in geology from Duke University, and a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Texas. She was previously employed as a research scientist and an exploration geologist at Conoco Inc. |
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| Abstract: | A soil-gas survey was conducted at a gasoline service station and a former fire training facility to determine if surveying for hydrogen sulfide could be useful in locating nonaqueous phase hydrocarbon fuel in the subsurface. Relative; to total organic vapor, oxygen, and carbon dioxide distributions, detectable hydrogen sulfide concentrations were much more restricted to the suspected source vicinity at both sites. Appreciable levels of soil-gas hydrogen sulfide. up to 600 Vppb. were observed in areas characterized by anaerobic or microaerophilic conditions having bulk oxygen levels below 4 percent. Based on the hydrogen sulfide distribution, nonaqueous phase hydrocarbon fuel was located at each site. These results suggest that soil-gas surveying for hydrogen sulfide may help locale mobile or residual gasoline and other nonaqueous phase hydrocarbons in the subsurface. |
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