Risk Variability Due to Uniform Soil Remediation Goals
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 122, Issue 7
Abstract
If a single contaminant concentration in soil were to be used as the remediation goal at all potential remediation sites in a region, risk would be expected to vary across sites due to differences in site characteristics that affect transport and fate. A methodology is developed to evaluate such variability. It is applied to Ross County, Ohio, a region for which compiled, detailed hydrogeologic information is available. Four carcinogenic contaminants (benzene, trichloroethylene, chlordane, and benzo[a]pyrene) and exposure scenarios (on-site commercial, on-site recreational, and on-site and off-site residential) are evaluated. Results vary, but in general, indicate that for contaminants that are highly degradable such as benzene or immobile in the subsurface such as benzo[a]pyrene, specifying a uniform soil remediation goal would result in relatively small degree of regional risk variability. However, for highly mobile and persistent contaminants like trichloroethylene, a uniform goal would result in a large degree of regional risk variability. Application of the methodology to a larger, less well-characterized region is analyzed.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 122 • Issue 7 • July 1996
Pages: 612 - 621
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Jul 1, 1996
Published in print: Jul 1996
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