Removal rates of hydrocarbons and methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) from the non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) residual source floating over the water table were estimated with site characterization data at a petroleum contamination site at a US Coast Guard (USCG) Air Base. Site characterization activities included soil and groundwater sampling, total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) and components analysis in soil samples, analysis of hydrocarbons and electron acceptors in groundwater, and measurement of hydraulic conductivity. Total quantities of hydrocarbons and MTBE in the subsurface were estimated from soil samling data. Dissolution rates of hydrocarbon components from the residual NAPL source into groundwater were estimated with a vertical diffusion model. Estimation of hydrocarbon and MTBE removal from the residual source in soil matrices was verified with a mass balance check. A mass balance check allowed the quantitative evaluation of the fate and transport of contaminants from the source to the sensitive receptors. The conceptual model and quantification of removal rates provided an estimation of the application period of natural attenuation at the site as the plume management strategy.
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