| Title: |
The spreading of MTBE in groundwater
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| Resource Type: |
document --> technical publication --> report
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| Country: |
Denmark
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| Language(s): |
Danish
English
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| Year: |
2003 |
| Availability: |
Environmental project, Miljørapport nr. 740
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| Author 1/Producer: |
Riis, C.E.
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| Other Authors/Producers: |
Christensen, A.G. and Broholm, K.
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| Author / Producer Type: |
Agency, regulator or other governmental or inter-governmental body
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| Publisher: |
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency, Miljøstyrelsen
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| Publisher City: |
Strandgade 29, DK-1405 Copenhagen K, Denmark
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| ISBN: |
87-7972-378-0
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| Format (e.g. PDF): |
PDF
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| Size: (e.g. 20mb) |
39
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EUGRIS Keyword(s): |
Contaminated land-->Site investigation-->Conceptual site model
Contaminated land-->Site investigation-->Methods
Contaminated land-->Site investigation-->Sampling and analysis
Contaminated land-->Site investigation-->Sampling strategy
Contaminated land-->Site investigation-->Site investigation overview
Contaminated land-->Soil and groundwater processes-->Contaminant hydrology
Contaminated land-->Soil and groundwater processes-->Soil and groundwater processes overview
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| Short description: |
The project has been initiated to elucidate different aspects of soil and groundwater pollution with MTBE (methyl-tert-butylether), and to clarify the magnitude of the risk that this contaminant poses to groundwater resources and future drinking water supplies. The project site is a former gas retail station heavily contaminated with gasoline containing MTBE.
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| Long description: |
The preliminary characterisation of the site contaminated with gasoline and MTBE was carried out using traditional well drilling and sampling techniques to describe the geological layers. The detailed field investigation was carried out by collecting discrete water samples taken at different depths in the wells. All water samples have been analysed for MTBE and BTEX using field-methods allowing selection of specific samples for laboratory analysis (Purge & Trap) for MTBE, BTEX and degradation products of MTBE. The overall geology of the site consists of sandy clay till to a depth of approx. 10 m below ground level, where a water-bearing layer of sand till as well as coarse sand/gravel was found. A relatively large vertical variability of the hydraulic conductivity was found. High concentrations of total hydrocarbons including BTEX, MTBE, degradation products of MTBE and reduced redox conditions were found around the hot spot indicating degradation processes. The MTBE contamination was found to a depth of 13 m below groundwater level immediately downstream of the source, and penetrated the entire depth of the secondary aquifer. MTBE degradation products are found in many of the water samples. The redox conditions at the site indicate that there is an ongoing degradation of organic components, in that nitrate, iron and sulphate reduction is observed. Thus there is a clear indication of an ongoing degradation of MTBE as well as BTEX, but it has not been clarified whether the degradation is solely responsible for the removal of the contaminants or whether other processes contribute.
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Submitted By:
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Dr Jacqueline Falkenberg WhoDoesWhat?
Last update: 22/04/2007
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