| Abstract: | The maximum contaminant level for arsenic was reduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. E.P.A.) for Drinking Water Standards from 50 micrograms per liter (µg/L) to 10 µg/L, effective January 23, 2006. The subject site is a double-lined sanitary landfill facility located in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Arsenic was reported above the maximum contaminant level in a downgradient monitoring well (MW-18) in July 2005. Since July 2005, arsenic levels in MW-18 fluctuated above and below 10 µg/L. This research focuses on determining whether reducing conditions in groundwater, enhanced by subsurface landfill gas emissions, were causing naturally-occurring arsenic to mobilize from the native variably-saturated vadose zone soils into groundwater. The groundwater data collected from the impacted well (MW-18) were compared to an upgradient well (MW-8) to determine whether significant differences existed during the time period of April 2004 to April 2007. Linear regression analysis was also used to determine whether other parameters had a significant relationship with the arsenic concentrations detected in MW-18. The groundwater located in MW-18 was consistently more reduced than groundwater located in the upgradient/background well MW-8, and this was most likely attributed to the presence of subsurface landfill gas in the area. According to the U.S. E.P.A., oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) values in groundwater less than 50 millivolts (mv) suggest that a reducing environment may be present. The data presented in this study indicate that arsenic can mobilize into groundwater under moderately reducing conditions, with ORP measurements averaging 53 mv. |
