Vapor intrusion models for petroleum and chlorinated volatile organic compounds; opportunities for future improvements

The natural attenuation (NA) of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is becoming recognized as a means of remediating contaminated sites and is generating widespread research interest. Recently, researchers incorporated NA into a vapor intrusion model (VIM) to more precisely predict the potential risk...

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Published inVadose zone journal Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 1 - 13
Main Authors Bekele, Dawit N, Naidu, Ravi, Bowman, Mark, Chadalavada, Sreenivasulu
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Soil Science Society of America 01.05.2013
The Soil Science Society of America, Inc
Subjects
bioavailability
biodegradation
biogenic processes
chlorinated hydrocarbons
dichloroethenes
Environmental geology
enzymes
halogenated hydrocarbons
medical geology
microorganisms
natural attenuation
nonaqueous phase liquids
one-dimensional models
organic compounds
partitioning
petroleum products
pollution
proteins
review
risk assessment
soil pollution
sorption
tetrachloroethylene
transport
trichloroethylene
underground storage tanks
unsaturated zone
vapor intrusion model
vapor transport
vinyl chloride
volatile organic compounds
volatiles
volatilization
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Summary:The natural attenuation (NA) of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is becoming recognized as a means of remediating contaminated sites and is generating widespread research interest. Recently, researchers incorporated NA into a vapor intrusion model (VIM) to more precisely predict the potential risk to humans and to more effectively screen contaminated sites. The NA of VOCs is a complex phenomenon that includes a range of biogeochemical reactions and physical processes. In this review, the various processes are discussed, including factors contributing to natural attenuation of VOCs in the unsaturated subsurface and their implications for site screening and risk assessment by a VIM. Vapor intrusion is the subject of active research focusing on a complex transport medium (subsurface soils) for which reliable and accurate mathematical models are required. The application of mathematical algorithms to simulate these complex processes often requires simplification and certain assumptions. Consequently, the simplifications and assumptions influence the model's predictive output. An overview of the theoretical basis and model algorithms of recently published models that account for the NA of volatile petroleum hydrocarbons in subsurface soils is provided. We also highlight the need to include the NA of chlorinated hydrocarbons in the VIM.
Bibliography:Vapor intrusion (VI) is of major concern to society, regulators, and practitioners. Existing VI risk assessment models do not generally account for the fate of vapor as it migrates upward from a source zone. We present an overview of vapor interactions in the vadose zone and the implications of this for existing models for VI risk assessment.
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ISSN:1539-1663
1539-1663
DOI:10.2136/vzj2012.0048