Methodology for Applying Monitored Natural Attenuation to Petroleum Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Ground-Water Systems with Examples from South Carolina

摘要

This report provides a methodology for quantifying various natural attenuationmechanisms. This methodology incorporates information on (1) concentrations of contaminants in space and/or time; (2) ambient reduction/oxidation (redox) conditions; (3) rates and directions of ground-water flow; (4) rates of contaminant bio-degradation; and (5) demographic considerations, such as the presence of nearby receptor exposure point or property boundaries. This document outlines the hydrologic, geochemical, and biologic data needed to assess the efficiency of natural attenuation, provides a screening tool for making preliminary assessments, and provides examples of how to determine when natural attenuation can be a useful component of site remediation at leaking underground storage tank sites.