Project 22: Facilitation, Scoping, Data Assessment, and Reporting for aerobic TCE biodegradation and abiotic TCE Fate & Transport processes in the Regional Gravel Aquifer at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant
PROJECT MANAGER
Steve Hampson, Assistant Director, Kentucky Research Consortium for Energy and Environment, University of Kentucky
PROJECT TEAM
This proposal assumes that the existing Project Team (Table 1) will remain active. The existing Project Team consists of representatives from; DOE, DOE contractors PRS and Navarro, the State of Kentucky Division of Waste Management, EPA Region 4, and the Kentucky Research Consortium for Energy and Environment (KRCEE).
Additional project team members are included in this proposal as subject matter experts (SMEs) to provide the Project Team guidance/expertise for the evaluation of SCI data, abiotic degradation processes, and in order to accomplish generation of a final Project Report. The additional project team members are: 1) Dr. Paul Phillip, University of Oklahoma; 2) Dr. Mark Coyne, University of Kentucky College of Agricultural Engineering; and 3) John Wilson, USEPA Ada, Oklahoma Laboratory. The availability of the three SMEs is dependent upon funding and their willingness to participate in Project activities.
Organization |
Representative |
DOE-PPPO |
Dr. Rich Bonczek |
DOE Site Office |
Dave Dollins |
Paducah Remediation Services |
Bryan Clayton, Ken Davis |
Navarro Engineering |
Bruce Phillips, Tracey Fitzgerald |
Kentucky Division of Waste Mgmt. |
Dr. Ed Winner, Todd Mullins |
USEPA Region IV |
David Williams |
KRCEE |
|
DOE-HQ-EM |
Beth Moore |
Savannah River Laboratory |
Dr. Bryan Looney |
Northwind, Inc. |
Dr. Hope Lee |
USEPA Ada Laboratory |
Dr. John Wilson |
Univ. of Kentucky – Earth & Env. Sci. |
|
Univ. of Kentucky Ag Engineering |
Dr. Mark Coyne |
BACKGROUND AND SCOPE
This project addresses: 1) the scope of activities to complete evaluation, reporting, and project report generation for aerobic biodegradation processes presently underway at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP); and 2) evaluation of Stable Carbon Isotope data relative to aerobic degradation processes from pending field sampling activities at the PGDP.
A Data Quality Objectives process will continue to be employed to ensure that project activities 1 - 3 (above) accurately identify TCE degradation-related problems/questions, relevant information necessary to address the problems/questions and decision-making framework for assessing the problems/questions. Potentially necessary degradation evaluation activities for aerobic/anaerobic microbial processes and abiotic processes in the Upper Continental Recharge System are not addressed by this proposal.
The TCE Fate and Transport Project investigation includes four (4) topics of investigation: 1) Derivation ofa first order rate constant by normalizing against Tc99 and/or chloride; 2) Identification of the presences of microbes capable of aerobic biodegradation using enzyme activity probes & derivation of a degradation rate constant based on aerobic degradation processes; 3) Stable Carbon Isotopes (SCI) ration analysis to support biotic and abiotic degradation processes; and 4) abiotic degradation of TCE via physical processes such as sorption.
Each investigation will be employed in the development of TCE degradation rates for the RGA groundwater plumes at the PGDP. This proposal encompasses the completion of scoping and execution of Project Team activities related to aerobic biodegradation.
The derivation of a first order rate constant has been completed and was included in the Site Investigation Report for the Southwest Groundwater Plume at the Paducah Gaseous Plant (DOE, May 2006). The three remaining topics (Figure 1), 1) enzyme activity probe analysis, 2) stable carbon isotope ratio analysis, and a final step addressing abiotic degradation/TCE sorption rates are intended to serve as parallel lines of support for determination of a TCE degradation rate. The stable carbon isotope DQOs are to be undertaken immediately in order to facilitate understanding and application of SCI data in aerobic microbial degradation and abiotic project activities.
TIME FRAME:
One Year
DELIVERABLES:
A written summary report “TCE Aerobic Degradation Fate and Transport Technical Report” (White Paper) summarizing the findings of the analyses/assessments for the aerobic microbial degradation in the RGA will be produced by the Project Team and KRCEE. Completion of the White Paper is dependent upon receipt of the SRNL aerobic degradation report. The SRNL aerobic degradation report will be submitted within 30 days of the completion of laboratory microbial, chemical, and geochemical analytical work. Results of SCI analyses will be included in the White Paper relative to the assessment of aerobic biodegradation conducted by SRNL.
REPORTS
Scenario Selection for Attenuation Processes Presentation
TCE Fate & Transport Project: Data Quality Objectives Process Presentation
KRCEE is a collaborative effort of Kentucky universities and is administered by the University of Kentucky.
