Implications of Subsurface Heterogeneity at a Potential Monitored Natural Attenuation Site |
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| Authors: | Kelly L Hurt Frank P Beck John T Wilson |
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| Institution: | Kelly L. Hurt (Dynamac Corp., 3601 Oakridge Blvd., Ada, OK 74820; 436–6403;fax 436–6496;) is a hydrogeologist/environmental scientist working for Dynamac Corp. in Ada, Oklahoma. He received a B.S. in geology and a Ph.D. in environmental science/forestry from Mississippi State University. His work has focused on the transport and fate of petroleum hydrocarbons, PAHs, PCBs, metals, chlorinated solvents, and MTBE in ground water and soils. Currently, he is conducting field experiments to determine the efficiency of phytoremediation processes on PCBs in soil. In addition, he has received approval to conduct field research to determine the fate of MTBE in ground water/surface water interaction zones.;Frank P. Beck Jr. is a soil scientist working in the Subsurface Remediation Branch of the Subsurface Protection and Remediation Division within the National Risk Management Research Laboratory. He received a B.S. in agronomy from Brigham Young University and an M.S. in crop physiology from the University of Arizona. He has spent the last 15 years working with the remediation of ground water and the previous 10 years working in surface water remediation, reregistration of pesticides, and the physiology of sugar beets.;John Wilson is a senior research microbiologist with the U.S. EPA's Risk Management Research Laboratory. He has worked at the R.S. Ken Environmental Research Center in Ada, Oklahoma, since 1978. His work has focused on the transport and fate of petroleum hydrocarbon, chlorinated solvents, and MTBE in ground water. |
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| Abstract: | Direct-push sampling was conducted at a site previously characterized with conventional monitoring wells. Hydrogeological and chemical heterogeneities not represented in the original site conceptual model were detected by direct-push sampling. These heterogeneities were important in terms of their impact on the assessment of monitored natural attenuation at the site. This research suggests that additional sampling efforts could be attempted at some sites to test the accuracy of site conceptual models. The leading edge of a contaminant plume must be examined closely, because conceptual errors in this area could easily allow impacts to receptors to remain undetected. |
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