Contact Conference Staff
Courses listed below will be offered on Sunday, May 20, and Wednesday, May 23, at times that do not compete with the Conference technical program. Course materials will include the instructors’ presentation slides and other supporting materials as appropriate to the course, such as references from the literature, reprints, files, or publicly available software. Certificates of completion will be distributed at the conclusion of each course. Participants will not require laptops for any course.
Registration. Courses are open to both Conference registrants and nonregistrants. See Short Course Registration for course fees, options for registering, and the registration/cancellation policy. Note that fees for both course and Conference registration will increase after April 30. Cancellations received by March 31 will be refunded less a $10 service fee. No refunds will be made after March 31, but paid no-shows will receive all course materials. Substitutions will be accepted at any time, preferably with advance notice.
Inquiries. The Conference Group (info@confgroupinc.com; phone: 800-783-6338 or 614-488-2030).
Course Titles and Descriptions
Click on any title to view the description below, and then click the “back” button to return to the list. For a PDF of the descriptions, click here.
Sunday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (1-hour break for lunch on own)
1. Development and Use of Air Action Levels at Remediation Sites CANCELED
2. Challenges of Groundwater Remediation in Fractured Rock and Karst Aquifers
3. Raising Leadership to Your Level of Authority CANCELED
4. Vapor Intrusion: Learning the Current Approaches for Conceptualization, Assessment, Evaluation, Monitoring, and Mitigation
Sunday 8:00 a.m. - Noon
5. Measurement and Use of Mass Discharge and Mass Flux to Improve Decisions at Contaminated Sites–An ITRC Course
Sunday 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
6. Environmental Molecular Diagnostic Tools for Site Assessment and Bioremediation Monitoring CANCELED
7. Practical Tracer Testing for Site Characterization and Remediation System Design
8. Integrated DNAPL Site Strategy (IDSS)–An ITRC Course
9. Framework and Metrics for Incorporating Sustainability into Remediation Projects CANCELED
Wednesday 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
10. Improving Your Remedial Success Rate with Incremental Sampling Methodology Investigation Approaches
11. Introduction to Groundwater Remediation Geochemistry
12. Biofuels: Release Prevention, Environmental Behavior, and Remediation–An ITRC Course CANCELED
13. Field Methods to Distinguish between Vapor Intrusion and Indoor Sources of VOCs
14. Horizontal Wells: Enhanced Access for Characterization and Remediation of Chlorinated Compounds and Recalcitrant Compounds
15. Characterizing and Understanding Remediation Processes In Situ: The In Situ Technological Toolbox
16. Utilization of Stable Isotopes in Studying the Fate and Origin of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds
17. Biogeochemical Reductive Remediation of Chlorinated Solvents and Metals
18. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Other Approaches to Estimating Impacts for Remediation Systems CANCELED
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Challenges of Groundwater Remediation in Fractured Rock and Karst Aquifers
Sunday, May 20, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m (1-hr break for lunch on own)
Instructors: Neven Kresic, Ph.D.; Peter Thompson; and Scott Calkin
(AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc.)
Objective: Present experience gained over the past 20 years in characterization of karst and fractured bedrock settings, with a focus on remedial design and implementation challenges.
Overview: The workshop will cover data collection and evaluation methods, such as 3-D visualization of karst and discretely fractured bedrock systems and the assessment of mass partitioning between nonaqueous and aqueous phases within secondary fractures and primary rock porosity. The workshop will highlight lessons learned concerning the challenges and, in some cases, the technical impracticability, of source area remediation in fractured bedrock and karst settings.
Draft Agenda:
1. Role of borehole geophysics and interwell testing in the detailed characterization of fractured bedrock source areas
2. Characterization of depth-discrete high-transmissivity features (fractures, karst conduits), including flow rates entering/leaving different intervals
3. Assessment of and limitations imposed on remediation by matrix diffusion
4. Implementation strategies for conservative and partitioning interwell tracer tests to evaluate the presence and hydraulic accessibility of residual DNAPLs
5. Design and implementation of tracer studies for remediation purposes; use of borehole electrical resistivity tomography to monitor tracers and effectiveness of remedial systems
6. Importance and role of high-transmissivity features for evaluating feasibility of different remedial alternatives (ISCO, P&T, bioremediation)
7. Use of numeric and time-series models for remedial design including Conduit Flow Process for Modflow
8. Case studies of remediation failures and successes in discretely fractured and karst environments
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Vapor Intrusion: Learning the Current Approaches for Conceptualization, Assessment, Evaluation, Monitoring, and Mitigation
Sunday, May 20, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m (1-hr break for lunch on own)
Instructors: Lilian Abreu, Ph.D.; Amy Goldberg Day; and Richard Studebaker (ARCADIS US, Inc.)
Mathew Plate and Henry Schuver, Ph.D. (U.S. EPA)
Objective: Present information on collecting, evaluating, and interpreting data on vapor intrusion. The intended audience includes environmental professionals; state and federal regulators engaged in vapor intrusion issues; property developers; and community stakeholders.
Overview: To address the growing awareness and public concern about vapor intrusion, this short course will focus on questions related to conceptualizing vapor intrusion and developing a sampling strategy to assess the potential presence of subsurface volatile organic compounds (VOCs) entering homes and other buildings. How should information in support of a vapor intrusion investigation be collected? What type of information (lines of evidence) should be collected? What types of decisions should be made based on available data? What is the evidence for the efficacy of chemical-based assessments? What are the public health benefits of alternative assessment/decision frameworks? What are some mitigation options for suspected vapor intrusion?
Draft Agenda:
1. Introduction
2. Vapor intrusion conceptualization—examples to illustrate how different site and building conditions influence VOC distribution in the subsurface and the indoor air of structures near soil and groundwater contaminated with VOCs
3. Multiple lines of evidence—U.S. EPA’s approach
4. Designing a sampling strategy—steps in developing a sampling strategy; selection of analytical and sampling method
5. Data interpretation and human health risk evaluation
6. Risk management decision
7. Benefits of alternative approaches to chemical-based assessments—the efficacy of traditional chemical-based vapor intrusion assessments; the public health benefits of alternative approaches (e.g., using naturally occurring tracers like radon)
8. Monitoring and mitigation system evaluation and design—the best practices for designing mitigation systems for current and future buildings
9. Overview of vapor intrusion guidance—discussion of documents from the U.S. EPA and several U.S. states
10. Q&A
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Measurement and Use of Mass Discharge and Mass Flux to Improve Decisions at Contaminated Sites -- An ITRC Course
Sunday, May 20, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 noon
Instructors: Naji Akladiss, PE (Maine Dept of Environmental Protection)
Tamzen Macbeth, Ph.D., PE (CDM)
Chuck Newell, Ph.D., PE (GSI Environmental Inc.)
Alec Naugle, PG (California Regional Water Quality Control Board)
Objective: Provide information about various methods and potential uses of mass flux and mass discharge to support decision making at contaminated sites. Practitioners, regulators, and others working on groundwater sites should consider this course.
Overview: This course provides valuable insights into the use of mass flux and mass discharge to improve remedial efficiency and reduce site management costs. The basis is Use and Measurement of Mass Flux and Mass Discharge, a document prepared by ITRC in 2010 and available as MASSFLUX-1 at www.itrcweb.org. A copy of the document will be provided on CD to course participants. This course includes a description of the concepts, uses, and measurement methods for mass flux and mass discharge, as well as a review of case studies demonstrating the benefits of using these data for site management. Most decisions at contaminated groundwater sites are driven by measurements of contaminant concentration. Decisions can be improved by using mass flux and mass discharge estimates to assess contaminant load into an aquifer. Evaluating and managing contaminant loads often provides a framework for better-informed management decisions regarding site prioritization, remedial design, and optimization. Mass discharge-based interim remedial goals are often more realistic for complex sites containing residual sources of contamination. The use of mass flux and mass discharge is increasing and will accelerate as field methods improve and practitioners and regulators become familiar with their applications, advantages, and limitations. The decision to collect and evaluate mass flux data is site specific. It should consider the reliability of other available data, the uncertainty associated with measurements, the specific applications of the data, and the cost-benefit of collecting mass flux and mass discharge measurements.
Draft Agenda:
1. Mass concepts—why mass estimates are used; definitions and description; uncertainties; advantages and limitations
2. Measurement methods—transect method; well capture/ pumping methods; passive flux meters; using existing data (isocontours); solute transport models
3. Uses—site characterization; potential impacts and exposure evaluation; remediation selection and design; performance monitoring; site prioritization
4. Regulatory precedence and acceptance
5. Case studies
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Practical Tracer Testing Techniques for Site Characterization and Remediation System Design
Sunday, May 20, 1:00–5:00 p.m.
Instructors: Craig Divine, Ph.D., and Elizabeth Reece, Ph.D. (ARCADIS US, Inc.)
Objective: Provide information on the increasing practical use and application of tracers by practitioners working at remediation sites.
Overview: Tracers have been broadly utilized for many years in research settings. However, until only recently, tracers were infrequently employed by consultants and practitioners at typical contaminated sites. This change is due in large part to the recognition that the success of many in situ remedial strategies is tied to local-scale hydrogeologic conditions, reagent distribution, and contaminant transport behavior. Consequently, tracers are becoming a standard and cost-effective hydrogeologic characterization tool used by practitioners to obtain basic aquifer characterization information and support development of conceptual site models, calibration of numerical flow and transport models, evaluation of contaminant-related risk, and remediation system design and assessment. The course material will include guidance on the use of tracers to characterize aquifer injectability, understand reagent distribution and utilization, quantify contaminant transport and degradation, and provide a basis for the design and optimization of in situ remediation systems. Additionally, the course will highlight examples of how tracers can be used to measure groundwater and contaminant flux, assess LNAPL mobility, and evaluate hydraulic capture. The course will cover basic terminology and concepts, tracer materials and analytical methods, health, safety and regulatory issues, test design and data interpretation concepts, and specialized applications and new developments.
Draft Agenda:
1. Background information—history, basic terminology and concepts, common tracers, regulatory requirements, health and safety considerations, overview of applications
2. Tracer testing to support injected reagent in situ remediation—review of relevant remediation hydraulics; tracer test design and interpretation concepts; examples and practice problems; use of deuterium for ISCO applications, the “double tracer” method; use in continuous-delivery/recirculation systems
3. Surface water and groundwater/surface water interactions— mixing zone studies; stream velocity; stream dilution/GSI
4. Other applications—dissolved gas tracers; capture zone analysis; single-well techniques; techniques for assessing LNAPL mobility and NAPL saturation; use of surface resistivity and LIF for high-definition mapping
5. Closing and questions
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Integrated DNAPL Site Strategy (IDSS)--An ITRC Course
Sunday, May 20, 1:00–5:00 p.m.
Instructors: Naji Akladiss, PE (Maine Dept of Environmental Protection)
Wilson Clayton, Ph.D., PE, PG (Trihydro Corporation)
Chuck Newell, Ph.D., PE (GSI Environmental Inc.)
Tamzen Macbeth, Ph.D., PE (CDM)
Heather Rectanus, Ph.D. (Battelle)
Objective: Provide information on development of integrated site remediation strategies or reevaluation of existing remediation strategies. This IDSS training is intended for regulators, remedial project managers, and remediation engineers responsible for sites contaminated by chlorinated solvents. Although the primary focus is on chlorinated solvent-contaminated sites, other types of contaminated sites (e.g., petroleum, mixed contaminants) can use the same fundamental process described in this guidance.
Overview: The course is based on Integrated DNAPL Site Strategy, a technical and regulatory guidance document prepared by ITRC in 2011 and available as IDSS-1 at www.itrcweb.org. A copy of the document will be provided on CD to course participants. Sites contaminated by chlorinated solvents present a daunting environmental challenge, especially at sites with dense nonaqueous-phase liquid (DNAPL) still present. Restoring sites contaminated by chlorinated solvents to typical regulatory criteria (low parts-per-billion concentrations) within a generation (~20 years) has proven exceptionally difficult, although there have been successes. Site managers must recognize that complete restoration of many of these sites will require prolonged treatment and involve several remediation technologies. To make as much progress as possible requires a thorough understanding of the site, clear descriptions of achievable objectives, and use of more than one remedial technology. Making efficient progress will require an adaptive management approach, and may also require transitioning from one remedy to another as the optimum range of a technique is surpassed. Targeted monitoring should be used and re-evaluation should be done periodically, with subsequent modifications when objectives are not being met or when alternative methods offer similar or better outcomes at lower cost. Because the subject matter is complex, the user of this guidance should be familiar with, and practiced in, the latest evolution of site characterization challenges; realistic planning of site restoration; evolving treatment techniques; and methods for evaluating, monitoring, and interpreting mass transport in the subsurface aqueous and vapor phases. The agenda highlights the five important features of an IDSS.
Draft Agenda:
1. Behavior of DNAPLs and chlorinated solvent plumes in the subsurface—developing a conceptual site model (CSM) based on reliable characterization and understanding of the subsurface conditions that control contaminant transport, reactivity, and distribution
2. SMART remediation objectives—objectives and performance metrics that are clear, concise, and measureable
3. Treatment technologies—applied to optimize performance and take advantage of potential synergistic effects
4. Developing a monitoring approach—based on interim and final cleanup objectives, the selected treatment technology and approach, and remedial performance goals
5. Remedy evaluation—periodic reevaluation of the strategy; modification of the approach as appropriate
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Improving Your Remedial Success Rate with Incremental Sampling Methodology Investigation Approaches
Wednesday, May 23, 1:00–5:00 p.m.
Instructors: Robin Boyd, PG (AECOM)
Roger Brewer, Ph.D. (Hawaii Department of Health)
Jason Brodersen, PG (Tetra Tech EM Inc.)
Marvin Heskett (Test America Laboratories Inc.)
Objective: Provide information on the application of incremental sampling methodology (ISM) to improve remedial success rate by providing high-quality data for source area characterization.
Overview: The primary cause of remediation failure is inadequate site characterization and poor data quality. Remediation failure is reflected in the field by unplanned over-excavation or by rebound following in situ treatment. This can usually be traced to reliance on a small number of discrete sample points to design the remedial action, often due to budget constraints. The use of incremental sampling methodology (ISM) approaches to characterize source areas will improve your remedial success rate by providing high data quality similar to that typically associated with risk assessments but at a more affordable cost. Incremental sampling focuses on the collection and combination of a large number of increments from well thought-out decision units (DUs) designed to characterize a site with a high degree of confidence. Sample collection must be done in a manner that is both reproducible and unbiased. The laboratory must also process the samples in a manner that preserves the quality of the field effort. Although simple in concept, a successful ISM investigation requires significant planning and an understanding of the advantages and limitations of the approach. This course will focus on soil, although ISM is applicable also to sediment and other media. A brief introduction to sampling theory will be provided, but the course will emphasize the field application of ISM investigations and provide case studies to demonstrate key points and the use of ISM to optimize remedial designs.
Draft Agenda:
1. Decision units—systematic planning and conceptual site models; DUs for characterization of exposure areas vs. source areas; subsurface DUs; DUs for excavations and stockpiles; case examples
2. Sampling theory—heterogeneity and soil; sampling errors; pros and cons of ISM vs. composite vs. discrete samples; collection and use of replicate sample data
3. Field collection of incremental samples—ISM challenges in the field; increment layout options; tools and methods for collection of surface ISM samples; tools and methods for collection of subsurface ISM samples; storage and shipping of bulk samples; ISM for VOCs; field DU and ISM sample collection demonstration (weather and location permitting)
4. Laboratory processing and subsampling—lab processing steps for non-VOCs; lab subsampling options; processing of ISM samples for SVOC and VOC analysis; QA/QC
5. Application of incremental sampling to remedial investigations—why remedial action objectives often are not met; using ISM to characterize source areas and optimize remedial design; case studies
6. Summary/Q&A
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Introduction to Groundwater Remediation Geochemistry
Wednesday, May 23, 1:00–5:00 p.m.
Instructor: Bill Deutsch (Geochemistry Services LLC)
Objective: Provide information about the subsurface processes that can have a major impact on whether or not remediation is a success. The primary audience is remediation project managers, design engineers, site characterization planners, responsible parties, and regulators.
Overview: Remediation doesn’t always proceed as expected—more reagent must be added to reach a desired result; the concentration of an initial contaminant of concern decreases in response to treatment but the concentration of a new contaminant increases to a level of concern; unanticipated reactions plug the aquifer, reduce the reactivity of a treatment compound, or affect the pH in a detrimental fashion. Remediation may be ineffective because of unforeseen or insufficiently accounted for geochemical processes that occur naturally in the aquifer or are produced by the introduction of treatment chemicals into the aquifer geochemical system. Proper design of a remediation system requires that the basic geochemical processes be understood and taken into account. Site-specific conditions must be determined by an adequate sampling program. Reactions that treat the contaminant of concern must be evaluated for their individual and interactive impacts on the ambient geochemical system. The anticipated longevity of active remediation and the final environmental condition of the aquifer must also consider the natural system. This course provides an introduction to these topics.
Draft Agenda:
1. Information on geochemical processes affecting remediation—solution speciation; gas-phase exchange; redox; adsorption/desorption; mineral equilibrium; impact of metals on biodegradation
2. Geochemical modeling to simulate remediation processes—conceptual model development; data needs; code types/ availability; longevity estimating
3. Remediation design, complications, and solutions—Ba, Zn, and Mn remediation; O2 treatment for benzene leading to aquifer acidification; carbonate competition for arsenic adsorption sites; ZVI reaction byproducts
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Field Methods to Distinguish between Vapor Intrusion and Indoor Sources of VOCs
Wednesday, May 23, 1:00–5:00 p.m.
Instructors: Thomas McHugh, Ph.D. (GSI Environmental, Inc.)
Erik Dettenmaier, Ph.D., and Kyle Gorder (U.S. Air Force)
Objective: Demonstrate the use of on-site analysis of indoor air samples to identify indoor sources of VOCs and to determine whether vapor intrusion is occurring.
Overview: Indoor sources of VOCs are ubiquitous. As a result, when using indoor air measurements to evaluate vapor intrusion, reliable methods are needed to distinguish between vapor intrusion and indoor sources of VOCs. The course will explore the use of on-site analysis of indoor air samples to identify indoor sources of VOCs. Additional information presented will cover supplemental tools (e.g., building pressure control, radon analysis) that can be used to minimize the effects of spatial and temporal variability on investigation results. The course will cover implementation of the field investigation methods and interpretation of the results as well as method validation and regulatory acceptance. The course will include hands-on exercise where course participants use the HAPSITE GC/MS to find VOC sources through on-site analysis of VOCs in indoor air samples. The course will also feature demonstration of other field investigation equipment used to control and measure building pressure and to measure radon concentrations.
Draft Agenda:
1. Overview of vapor intrusion and indoor sources of VOCs
2. Compound-specific stable isotope analysis
3. Hydrocarbon fingerprinting
4. On-site GC/MS analysis: Overview
5. Hands-on exercise using on-site GC/MS investigation procedure
6. Demonstration of vapor-intrusion field equipment
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Horizontal Wells: Enhanced Access for Characterization and Remediation of Chlorinated Compounds and Recalcitrant Compounds
Wednesday, May 23, 1:00–5:00 p.m.
Instructors: Dawn Kaback, Ph.D. (AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, Inc.)
Dan Ombalski, PG (Directed Technologies Drilling)
Paul Querna, PE (PQ Products)
Mike Sequino (Directional Technologies)
Objective: Present information about the potential cost savings and improved efficiency that horizontal wells can provide for environmental remediation systems. The anticipated audience is consulting scientists and engineers, site owners, regulators, other stakeholders, and groundwater professionals.
Overview: Horizontal wells have been successfully integrated into remedial systems at contaminated sites since 1988. Typical sites include those where (1) access is limited by buildings, roads, airport runways or rail yards; (2) offsite access is desired; (3) design requires very close well spacing (i.e., low permeability media); and (4) a low-profile drilling presence is desired. In addition to advances in design of remedial systems using horizontal wells, recent advances in new locating technologies that allow accurate installations in difficult drilling conditions and collection of soil samples under storage tanks, buildings, and landfills will also be discussed. The instructors will provide the basics on horizontal well design, installation, development, and operation. Drawing on their experience in designing and applying innovative tooling and well design to improve remedial performance, they also will present case studies to demonstrate how horizontal wells have provided significant cost and performance benefits. Workshop participants will learn about horizontal well materials development and current regulatory requirements and acceptance. The case studies will cover directional soil sampling and installation of horizontal wells for air sparging, in situ remediation (e.g., bioremediation, chemical oxidation), and product/groundwater recovery. These innovations in remedial designs will be presented to encourage more effective application of enhanced delivery/recovery systems to treat contaminated soil and groundwater.
Draft Agenda:
1. Introduction to horizontal wells
2. Horizontal well design—means and methods; drilling fluids; well materials; complex bore design; dewatering system
3. Drilling and well completion—size and capability of directional drills; locating systems; mud systems
4. Cost/benefit—cost factors; environmental sustainability benefits
5. Case histories
6. Lessons learned discussion
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Characterizing and Understanding Remediation Processes In Situ: The In Situ Technological Toolbox
Wednesday, May 23, 1:00–5:00 p.m.
Instructors: Tomasz Kalinowski; Rolf Halden, Ph.D., PE; and Kristin McClellan (Arizona State University)
Vic Madrid, PG, CHG, and Anja Verce (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory)
Objective: Outline contemporary techniques and technologies for generating data that can help decision-makers evaluate the potential efficacy of in situ remediation technologies.
Overview: The environmental cleanup industry continues to move toward implementation of in situ remediation technologies to take advantage of cost-savings over soil excavation and to overcome limitations inherent to pump-and-treat operations. However, in situ technologies present their own associated risks, including uncertainties in performance and potential release of secondary contaminants. Consequently, site-specific evaluations of in situ remediation technologies, a.k.a. treatability studies, are customary before full-scale implementation of a remediation strategy can occur. The first section of the short course outlines challenges faced by in situ remediation technologies, including subsurface heterogeneity, mass transfer limitations and release of secondary contaminants. The first section will also identify what kinds of performance data are necessary to properly evaluate an in situ technology. The next section will examine feasibility tools currently available to address these needs. The course will conclude with a presentation of select case studies showcasing the technologies and illustrating the type and quality of data they produce.
Draft Agenda:
1. Overview
2. In situ remediation: Industry trends
3. Subsurface realities: In situ challenges—accurate understanding of contaminant fate; differentiation between biological and chemical transformation; release of secondary contaminants; aquifer heterogeneity/outcome variability
4. In situ characterization technologies—bug traps; push-pull [single-well]; natural gradient aquifer tests; in situ microcosm; in situ microcosm array (ISMA)
5. Case studies—bug traps; push-pull test; ISMA
6. Summary/Q&A
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Utilization of Stable Isotopes in Studying the Fate and Origin of Chlorinated and Recalcitrant Compounds
Wednesday, May 23, 1:00–5:00 p.m.
Instructor: Paul Philp, Ph.D. (University of Oklahoma)
Objective: Provide an introduction to stable isotopes and their potential utilization in studying the origin, fate, and remediation of chlorinated and other recalcitrant compounds, as well as information on general applications of stable isotopes to other areas of environmental studies.
Overview: The first part of the course will introduce the basic concepts of stable isotope geochemistry: what is meant by a stable isotope; how the stable isotope values are determined; isotope standards; instrumentation; bulk stable isotopes; compound-specific isotopes; Rayleigh equation; isotopic enrichment factors; and other basic concepts needed to understand these applications. This part will emphasize the stable isotopes of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and nitrogen because these currently are the major isotopes of interest in environmental studies. The second part of the workshop will primarily discuss applications of this technology to studies involving the fate and origin of chlorinated and other recalcitrant compounds. There are two major areas of interest. The first is the use of isotopes as a tool for determining the source of the contaminant; for this application, it is essential that the isotope data are integrated with data from the other commonly used analytical tools such as gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The second application is using the extent of isotopic enrichment to measure the onset and extent of degradation of organic compounds present at the site; this includes both natural attenuation and attenuation during remediation of contaminated sites. These applications will cover utilization of carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine isotopes in remediation studies. Determination of chlorine isotopes of individual compounds has become routine only in the past year or so and is an important addition to the toolbox of available techniques. It is as important to discuss why this approach is not always going to be useful or successful as it is to discuss the successful applications. In addition to the above, some general applications of stable isotopes to other areas of environmental studies will be provided.
Draft Agenda:
1. Introduction
2. Stable Isotopes 101—methodology; fractionation; Rayleigh equation; bulk isotopes; compound-specific isotope analysis
3. Advances in determination of chlorine isotope compositions of individual chlorinated compounds
4. Integration of isotopic data with GC and GCMS data in environmental studies
5. Isotope effects resulting from physical effects such as volatilization and sorption
6. Quantification of isotope data and incorporation into transportation models
7. Why can we use isotopes in bioremediation/natural attenuation studies with smaller molecules but not larger molecules?
8. Distinguishing source signatures from degradation signatures
9. Specific applications of stable isotopes in studying the origin and fate of chlorinated and recalcitrant compounds
10. Utilization of stable isotopes in studying origin and fate of nonchlorinated compounds in environmental studies
11. Summary
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Biogeochemical Reductive Remediation of Chlorinated Solvents and Metals
Wednesday, May 23, 1:00–5:00 p.m.
Instructors: Lonnie Kennedy, Ph.D. (Earth Sciences Services)
Richard Brown, Ph.D. (ERM)
Ramona Darlington, Ph.D. (Battelle)
Objective: Provide information on the practical considerations in using Biogeochemical Reductive Dechlorination (BiRD), a technology that can provide the effectiveness of ZVI at an even lower cost than bioremediation for treatment of chlorinated solvents and metals. One of the instructors, Dr. Kennedy is the originator and patent holder of the BiRD technology.
Overview: Chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons (e.g.,TCE, PCE, TCA, TC) and metals are widespread and persistent groundwater contaminants. Commonly used technologies include bioremediation and zero-valent iron (ZVI). Bioremediation is relatively inexpensive but often is incomplete, resulting in persistent and more toxic daughter products. ZVI chemical dechlorination is rapid and produces no daughter products, but it is often a very expensive option. The underlying principle of BiRD is that nearly all clastic sediments have abundant native iron minerals (20 to 200 Kg/m3) already present in the aquifer matrix as dispersed coatings on sand or silt grains. This iron is usually a Fe(III) oxide, which is nonreactive for contaminants. BiRD is a simple process by which native Fe(III) oxides can be biogeochemically transformed in situ to iron sulfide (FeS), a highly reactive mineral that fully dechlorinates chlorinated solvent compounds with no daughter products and a typical half life of only 30 days (±15). Thus, the process treats chlorinated solvents as effectively as does ZVI but at a cost less than that of bioremediation. Because BiRD is a multidisciplinary approach, the essentials of geology, geochemistry, and microbiology will be addressed. Examples of how BiRD has worked under controlled laboratory and field conditions will be shown. The work flow for determining site suitability and developing an engineered remediation using the BiRD approach will be presented.
Draft Agenda:
1. What is Biogeochemical Reductive Dechlorination (BiRD) and metals remediation?
2. Background science: BiRD is an interdisciplinary treatment approach—geology; hydrogeology; biogeochemistry; contaminant redox chemistry
3. Biogeochemical reductive remediation examples—early examples of BiRD working via intrinsic bioremediation processes; laboratory-scale chlorinated solvent treatment in microcosm and column tests; field-scale examples of BiRD (applications via injection, permeable reactive barrier, and surface bioreactor)
4. Practical biogeochemical remediation design—biogeochemical site assessment; analyses of existing and stimulated biogeochemical potential; determination of site suitability for biogeochemical remediation; redox half reactions geochemistry; reactant selection and sources; determination of in situ mass; calculation of remediation reagent quantities; other considerations (e.g., temperature, pH); can preexisting remediation systems be converted to BiRD?
5. Post biogeochemical reactive barrier monitoring—sediment and water monitoring procedures and analyses; calculation of contaminant treatment rates; determination of BiRD or biogeochemical mineral reactive zone longevity; reactive zone rejuvenation and modification
6. Spreadsheet design for BiRD and mineral reactive zone design
Participants may wish to bring laptops to use during the course, but this is optional.