Abstract
Drilling-intensive aquifer characterization techniques have been used to obtain depth-discrete water samples from a thick, hydrogeologically continuous unconfined aquifer system; groundwater results indicate that carbon tetrachloride contamination is widespread and extends deeper and at concentrations much higher than detected in monitoring networks at the water table. Carbon tetrachloride, a legacy waste, was used in the plutonium extraction process at the Hanford site in south-central Washington State. Vertical, depth-discrete groundwater samples were collected during well drilling throughout a 28-km2 region to determine the concentration of carbon tetrachloride present as a dissolved phase in the aquifer. Results indicate that high concentrations of carbon tetrachloride, three orders of magnitude above the allowable regulatory limit, are present at depths greater than 25 m beneath the water table. In support of future efforts to remediate the carbon tetrachloride contamination, it is imperative to locate the remaining chemical inventory, determine the vertical as well as the lateral distribution of this contaminant and its physical form. Depth-discrete aquifer characterization throughout the uppermost-unconfined aquifer system is providing this information and improving the understanding of the contaminant distribution and the hydrogeologic framework through which it moves.
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Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Dave Lanigan for his graphics support during the preparation of the profiles and cross sections, Virginia Rohay, Fluor Hanford Inc, for assistance in data gathering, and Launa Morasch for her technical and editorial support. This work was conducted as part of research at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for the US Department of Energy under contract DE-AC05-76RL01830.
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Williams, B.A., Chou, C.J. Characterizing vertical contaminant distribution in a thick unconfined aquifer, Hanford site, Washington, USA. Environ Geol 53, 879–890 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0700-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-007-0700-3