Monitored natural attenuation has been particularly used at sites where petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents have contaminated soil and groundwater. One of the important aspects of the methodology that has been recognized recently is that the mass removal rates, the most important parameter to determine effectiveness of the methodology, is controlled by the groundwater flow regime and the aquifer heterogeneity. Considering this recognition, the primary objective of this study is to quantitatively describe the relationship between the natural attenuation rates and aquifer heterogeneity using numerical simulation techniques. To represent different levels of aquifer heterogeneity, the hydraulic conductivity distribution (ln K) is statistically simulated with the numerical algorithm, Turning Bands Random Field Generator, by changing the statistical parameters, Coefficient of Variation (CV) and correlation length (h) and Visual MODFLOW and RT3D software programs are used for the simulation of groundwater flow and chlorinated solvent transport. Simulation results showed that degradation rates and the shape of the contaminant plumes show variations for different heterogeneity levels. Increasing CV resulted in the decrease in the transport of the plume and shrinkage in the areal extend. On the other hand, &ldquo / h&rdquo / determined the shape and the size of the plume through its affect on mechanical dispersion. For a given &ldquo / h&rdquo / , degradation rates increased with increasing CV, but change in &ldquo / h&rdquo / did not show a regular trend. Such findings are expected to be beneficial when assessing the effectiveness of natural attenuation process for a selected site during the feasibility studies without need for detailed site characterization.

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants. They fulfill all of the criteria (persistent, toxic, and subject to long-range transport) for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). CPs are also under consideration for inclusion in the Stockholm Convention on POPs. Their presence has been shown in various environmental matrices in the industrialized parts of the world, as well as in remote regions such as the Arctic. The aim of this thesis was to increase the limited knowledge of the presence of CPs in the environment, their sources to the environment, and the resulting human exposure. An analytical procedure for the determination of CPs in environmental samples based on gas chromatography coupled to electron capture detection (GC-ECD) has been developed. GC-ECD is a relatively inexpensive instrument that is fast and easy to operate. These advantages open up the possibility for a comprehensive screening of the occurrence of CPs in the environment, including developing countries. Furthermore, the occurrence of CPs in ambient air and in indoor air and dust was studied. Elevated CP concentrations in indoor air (<5-210 ng/m3) were observed compared to ambient air (0.7-33 ng/m3), which is indicative of the presence of indoor emission sources. Indoor air and dust concentrations were used to estimate the human exposure to CPs via the indoor environment. Comparison of the estimates to available dietary intake estimates indicated that the indoor exposure pathways are not negligible. CP concentrations in ambient air from urban Stockholm were higher than in rural Aspvreten, Sweden. This indicates the presence of additional (emission) sources in urban areas compared to rural sites. Additionally, a seasonal variation of air concentrations was observed at both locations, suggesting temperature dependent emission sources for CPs. These observations were supported by a substance flow analysis of CPs performed for Stockholm. This study estimated the major emission sources of CPs to the Stockholm environment to be emissions from painted surfaces and in-place sealants. / At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Manuscript. Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 4: Manuscript.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Florida, 2004. / Typescript. Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 233 pages. Includes Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Chlorinated solvents are common contaminants in soil and water. Under anaerobic conditions microbes are capable of transforming chlorinated solvents into ethylene which would result in a remediation of the contaminated area. In order to use natural attenuation as a remediation method evidence of continuous degradation is required. Furthermore, the degradation must occur at a sufficient rate and continuous monitoring of the site is needed until the demanded levels are achieved. A field study was performed on the basis of data from a dry-cleaning facility contaminated mainly by perchloroethylene. The purpose of the study was to define the existing situation regarding distribution and transformation of contaminant in order to evaluate the possibilities of using natural attenuation as a method of remediation. Degradation of perchloroethylene proceeds through successive removal of chlorine, with the formation of trichloroethylene, dichloroethylene, vinyl chloride and ethylene. There exists evidence of degradation as far as vinyl chloride on the site but whether transformation continues to ethylene is not established. The computer model Biochlor was used to simulate distribution and degradation of the contaminants. The site possesses a complex hydrogeology and the existing data are not sufficient to distinguish the effect of degradation from other factors such as spreading of contaminant between different layers of soil. Since degradation failed to be quantified, natural attenuation can not be recommended as a safe remediation method at the considered site without further investigations. / Klorerade lösningsmedel är vanligt förekommande föroreningar i mark och vatten. Under anaeroba förhållanden kan mikrober omvandla klorerade kolväten till eten vilket leder till rening av det förorenade området. För att kunna använda denna naturliga nedbrytning som saneringsmetod krävs bevis för att nedbrytning fortskrider i tillräcklig utsträckning för att rena området och därefter krävs kontinuerlig provtagning till dess målen för saneringen har uppnåtts. En fallstudie utfördes utifrån data från en kemtvättsfastighet förorenad av i första hand perkloreten. Syftet var att kartlägga föroreningssituationen med avseende på spridning och nedbrytning av de klorerade föreningarna för att undersöka om naturlig nedbrytning var en möjlig framtida saneringsmetod. Nedbrytning av perkloreten sker stegvis genom att klor avspjälkas, under bildande av produkterna trikloreten, dikloreten, vinylklorid och etengas. Nedbrytning av förorening har konstaterats ske på fastigheten fram till vinylklorid men huruvida nedbrytning avstannat där eller fullföljts till etengas är ej klarlagt. Datormodellen Biochlor användes för att simulera spridning och nedbrytning av utsläppet. Fältplatsen har en komplex hydrogeologi och befintliga fältdata var inte tillräckliga för att särskilja nedbrytningens effekt från faktorer såsom spridning av förorening mellan olika jordlager. Eftersom nedbrytningen inte kunde kvantifieras kan naturlig nedbrytning inte rekommenderas som säker saneringsmetod på denna fältplats utan kompletterande analyser.

This study investigated the short-term inhibitory effects of 8 chlorinated compounds on aquatic microorganism heterotrophic activity. A technique involving the measurement of substrate uptake rates using radio-actively labeled glucose was employed. All compounds studied have been identified as foreign pollutants in aquatic environments and include the highly toxic ones DDT, dieldrin and a PCB (Aroclor 1254). The aquatic microorganisms were predominatly bacteria. On a short-term basis, the PCB and tetrachlorophenol were the most toxic pollutants, decreasing the maximum glucose uptake rate (Vmax) by 50 percent at 250 ppb concentrations. The remaining pollutants had little effect under 2500 ppb. In addition, tetrachlorophenol was the only compound to significantly increase glucose turnover time (Tt). Results from other experiments were: the toxicity of tetrachlorophenol varied according to the (environmental) water temperature; tetrachlorophenol affected the uptake of glucose more than that of two amino acids, alanine and glutamic acid; with respect to di-, tri-, and tetrachlorophenol, neither the chlorine percentage per pollutant molecule, nor the number of pollutant molecules per mole of water, varied linearly with the pollutant's ability to inhibit glucose uptake; the combined toxicities of various pollutants reduced uptake to only 9 percent below the average of their separate effects; and none of the 4 pollutants tested for long-term effects (DDT, PCB, dieldrin and tetrachorophenol) inhibited uptake after 4 days. It was concluded that the two tests (Type I and Type II as described in Section 2) were quick and reliable techniques for assessing the short and long-term effects of a concentration of a pollutant on heterotrophic activity. It was also determined that other pollutants should be tested for their long-term effects under a variety of conditions (for example, their effects on different substrates and on the sediment microbial community). / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate

This master's thesis is focused on remediation of groundwater polluted by chlorinated ethenes with a use of nanoiron particles. Three injections of different types of nanoiron were carried out in the contaminated area of Spolchemie a.s. company in Ústí nad Labem. The main aim of the thesis was to compare effectiveness of those three applications. The remediation of groundwater was done by direct- push injection of suspension of nanoscale zero-valent iron. After that a monitoring of groundwater level and physicochemical parameters was performed. Samples of groundwater were collected during the monitoring and were analysed for contaminants and products of dechlorination. It was discovered that NANOFER STAR nanoiron had the strongest influence on reductive dechlorination. This was reflected by concentration decrease of TCE by 84 %, VC by 60 % and total concentration of CHC by 39 % in the period three months after the injection and the increase of degradation products of chlorinated ethenes. Injections of conservative tracers potassium bromide and lithium chloride served as a criterion for differentiation between the process of dechlorination and simple dilution effect. The effectiveness of NZVI-C3 nanoiron and NANOFER STAR with CMC nanoiron were notably lower than the bare NANOFER STAR nanoiron. In...

Tetrachloroethylene and its daughter-products represent a group of contaminations which are frequently found at sites with industrial activities, such as metal processing, electrotechnical and pharmaceutical industries as well as dry cleaning of clothing and the production of colours, paints and laquers. Due to their toxicity and persistence under natural conditions "denser-than-water" non aqueous phase liquids are substantial threats to the subsurface environment as well as the surface ecosystems including human beings. During the last two decades a number of technical solutions has been presented to enhance the situation of contaminated areas. One of the more recently established concepts are permeable reactive barriers. Permeable reactive barriers are passive in situ treatment zones containing a reactive material suitable to remove the contamination from the groundwater. They are installed downgradient from the pollution source perpendicular to the groundwater flow direction to immobilise or degrade the dissolved pollutants in the groundwater as it flows through. This project was organised in two main parts. The first part assessed seven different iron powders in batch experiments to determine the most efficient powder in terms of degradation velocity. The second part of the study employed this powder in a column experiment using different mixing ratios with sand to evaluate its performance under simulated subsurface conditions in a permeable reactive barrier. The aim of this experiment was to obtain a more detailed description of the behaviour and performance of the selected material. In the batch experiment the most promissing iron powder produced a half-life of tetrachloroethylene of 2.36 h. The column study demonstrated that cis-dichloroethylene has the longest half-life compared to tetrachlorethylene and trichloroethylene with 1.65 h. Having the longest half-life of all chloroethylenes included in this investigation the cis-dichloroethylene concentration will determine the dimensioning of a permeable barrier for remediation purposes.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(社会健康医学) / 甲第19968号 / 社医博第73号 / 新制||社医||9(附属図書館) / 33064 / 京都大学大学院医学研究科社会健康医学系専攻 / (主査)教授 木原 正博, 教授 松原 和夫, 教授 中山 健夫 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Public Health / Kyoto University / DFAM

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