Policy Document on Monitored Natural Attenuation of Metals and Radionuclides in Groundwater

摘要

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund program is developing guidance for evaluating whether monitored natural attenuation (MNA) is likely to be an effective component of a remedial approach for inorganic contaminants (including radionuclides) in groundwater at CERCLA sites. For purposes of this guidance, the term "inorganic contaminants" is used as a generic term for metals and metalloids (such as arsenic) and also refers to radioactive as well as non-radioactive isotopes. This guidance addresses the use of MNA for inorganic contaminants in groundwater, describes the primary processes that govern MNA, and provides a recommended framework for assessing the potential application of MNA as part of a remedy for inorganic contaminant plumes in groundwater. The basic recommended framework for MNA was established in prior EPA guidance.