In the event of a contaminant release, atmospheric transport and dispersion (AT&D) models would be used to predict the path of the contaminant plume. If monitored contaminant concentration data are available, various assimilation techniques can be applied to incorporate the data into the transport and dispersion model, and thus, more accurately predict the plume path. We refer to this as the fo...

During in situ remediation of contaminated groundwater, a treatment solution is often injected into the contaminated region to initiate reactions that degrade the contaminant. Degradation reactions only occur where the treatment solution and the contaminated groundwater are close enough that mixing will bring them together. Degradation is enhanced when the treatment solution is spread into the ...

Leachate from municipal landfills can create groundwater contaminant plumes that may last for decades to centuries. The fate of reactive contaminants in leachate-affected aquifers depends on the sustainability of biogeochemical processes affecting contaminant transport. Temporal variations in the configuration of redox zones downgradient from the Norman Landfill were studied for more than a dec...

An analytical model is used to simulate the effects of partial source removal and plume remediation on ethylene dibromide (EDB) and 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA) plumes at contaminated underground storage tank (UST) sites. The risk posed by EDB, 1,2-DCA, and commingled gasoline hydrocarbons varies throughout the plume over time. Dissolution from the light nonaqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) determin...

A range of bacteriological, geochemical process-related and molecular techniques have been used to assess the microbial biodegradative potential in groundwater contaminated with phenol and other tar acids. The contaminant plume has travelled 500 m from the pollutant source over several decades. Samples were obtained from the plume using a multi-level sampler (MLS) positioned in two boreholes (b...

Several studies have been conducted on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to identify detection monitoring parameters for specific industries. One outcome of these studies was the evolution of an empirical multi-variant contaminant fingerprinting process. This process, Fingerprint Analysis of Leachate Contaminants (FALCON), was developed through the EPA’s Technical Support...

In the event that a bacteriological or chemical toxin is introduced to a water distribution network, a large population of consumers may become exposed to the contaminant. A contamination event may be poorly predictable dynamic process due to the interactions of consumers and utility managers during an event. Consumers that become aware of a threat may select protective actions that change thei...

Alternative fractional models of contaminant transport lead to a new travel time formula for arbitrary concentration levels. For an evolving contaminant plume in a highly heterogeneous aquifer, the new formula predicts much earlier arrival at low concentrations. Travel times of contaminant fronts and plumes are often obtained from Darcy's law calculations using estimates of average pore velocit...

This summary paper reviews just some of the extensive scientific literature from the past 20 years on the various aspects of contaminant source remediation and plume management. Some of the major findings of the numerous research projects are presented. The first section outlines the controlling mass transfer mechanisms which need to be considered for any in situ source remediation technology. ...