Natural Attenuation for Groundwater Remediation


Book Description

In the past decade, officials responsible for clean-up of contaminated groundwater have increasingly turned to natural attenuation-essentially allowing naturally occurring processes to reduce the toxic potential of contaminants-versus engineered solutions. This saves both money and headaches. To the people in surrounding communities, though, it can appear that clean-up officials are simply walking away from contaminated sites. When is natural attenuation the appropriate approach to a clean-up? This book presents the consensus of a diverse committee, informed by the views of researchers, regulators, and community activists. The committee reviews the likely effectiveness of natural attenuation with different classes of contaminants-and describes how to evaluate the "footprints" of natural attenuation at a site to determine whether natural processes will provide adequate clean-up. Included are recommendations for regulatory change. The committee emphasizes the importance of the public's belief and attitudes toward remediation and provides guidance on involving community stakeholders throughout the clean-up process. The book explores how contamination occurs, explaining concepts and terms, and includes case studies from the Hanford nuclear site, military bases, as well as other sites. It provides historical background and important data on clean-up processes and goes on to offer critical reviews of 14 published protocols for evaluating natural attenuation.




Natural Attenuation


Book Description

Natural Attenuation: CERCLA, RBCAs, and the Future of Environmental Remediation presents the concept of "natural attenuation"-the tendency of soils to severly limit the toxicity of many types of hazardous waste. It reviews and updates the most recent findings from the field and lab and shows how natural attenuation is rapidly changing the direction and focus of environmental remediation. Outlining the legal and regulatory framework that has made waste remediation so costly, this book shows how applying an understanding of natural attenuation can decrease cleanup outlays while lowering risks to human health. Natural Attenuation: CERCLA, RBCAs, and the Future of Environmental Remediation makes it clear why natural attenuation will be relied upon more and more in the future.




Natural Attenuation of Fuels and Chlorinated Solvents in the Subsurface


Book Description

The first comprehensive guide to one of today's most innovative approaches to environmental contamination Natural attenuation is gaining increasing attention as a nonintrusive, cost-effective alternative to standard remediation techniques for environmental contamination. This landmark work presents the first in-depth examination of the theory, mechanisms, and application of natural attenuation. Written by four internationally recognized leaders in this approach, the book describes both biotic and abiotic natural attenuation processes, focusing on two of the environmental contaminants most frequently encountered in groundwater--fuels and chlorinated solvents. The authors draw on a wealth of combined experience to detail successful techniques for simulating natural attenuation processes and predicting their effectiveness in the field. They also show how natural attenuation works in the real world, using numerous examples and case studies from a wide range of leading-edge projects nationwide involving fuel hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents. Finally, they discuss the evaluation and assessment of natural attenuation and explore the design of long-term monitoring programs. An indispensable reference for anyone working in environmental remediation, Natural Attenuation of Fuels and Chlorinated Solvents in the Subsurface is essential reading for scientists and engineers in a range of industries, as well as state and federal environmental regulators, and professors and graduate students in environmental or chemical engineering.




Groundwater 2000


Book Description

These proceedings, with cd-rom, present a comprehensive overview of advances in groundwater research. The five main topics covered are: aquifers and contaminant distribution; groundwater quality; natural attenuation; remediation technologies and groundwater protection. Groundwater 2000 is a useful resource to both scientists and to those working in the field.




EPA-600/F.


Book Description







Fundamentals of Hazardous Waste Site Remediation


Book Description

Every practicing environmental engineer should already have a firm grasp on the basics of hazardous waste site remediation-the key to confronting a site problem, and devising an effective solution. Since their original introduction to remediation, technology has kept moving ahead with new ideas and procedures. Fundamentals of Hazardous Waste Site Remediation gives environmental professionals immediate access to the basics of the trade, along with information about recent advancements. This comprehensive overview examines the basics of such areas as hazardous materials chemistry, hydrogeology, reaction engineering, and clean-up level development. A chapter on Cost Estimating will be of particular interest to specialists, in light of recent concerns about the increased costs of remediation. After reading each chapter, test your new knowledge with the review problems. As a refresher guide for career environmental engineers, or a helpful tool to newcomers in the field, Fundamentals of Hazardous Waste Site Remediation is a valuable resource for longtime professionals and newcomers alike.