Masters Theses
Abstract
“The Study Facility has used the industrial solvent Trichloroethylene (TCE) to degrease brass metal parts prior to lacquer finishing and fabrication. Still Bottoms (SB), the liquid residues after distillation of waste-TCE, were allegedly disposed directly on the site. Many past and present industries in the area have used TCE and subsequently, questionable waste management practices have resulted in high levels of VOC contamination in soils and groundwater in the region.
This study characterizes the geology, hydrogeology, present and past land use and how it relates to present contamination, hazardous waste fate, potential migration pathways for transport of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and possible remedial alternatives, for the Study Site, the surrounding industrial Park, and eastern Elkhart, Indiana.
Laboratory testing indicates that the Still Bottom residues used for testing purposes are composed of 75 percent volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 99.5 percent of which is TCE. The remaining components of the still bottoms are 24 percent nonvolatile organics including animal fats-triglycerides and 1 percent inorganic constituents including oxides, silicates, metals and carbonates. The general behavior of the Still Bottoms wen introduced into soil samples was rapid infiltration with little adsorption of the SB onto the solid phase, resulting in high mobility in migration pathways consisting of sand, gravel and cobble outwash. However, absorption of SB due to capillary action was evidenced in the soil columns representative of the vadose zone. The retardation factor and relative velocity of TCE were estimated using laboratory and theoretical calculations and used to determine possible migration times of TCE in certain characteristic soils.
Research of potential remedial alternatives for TCE indicated that the most common remedial action is groundwater recovery and treatment by air stripping and granular activated carbon treatment” --Abstract, page iii.
Advisor(s)
Bolter, Ernst
Committee Member(s)
Gregg, Jay M.
Hatheway, Allen W.
Department(s)
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering
Degree Name
M.S. in Geology and Geophysics
Publisher
University of Missouri--Rolla
Publication Date
Spring 1990
Pagination
xii, 225 pages
Note about bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 221-224).
Geographic Coverage
Elkhart, Indiana
Rights
© 1990 Alex Hinman Vincent, All rights reserved.
Document Type
Thesis - Restricted Access
File Type
text
Language
English
Thesis Number
T 6109
Print OCLC #
22871080
Recommended Citation
Vincent, Alex Hinman, "Trichloroethylene contaminated groundwater in Elkhart, Indiana" (1990). Masters Theses. 910.
https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/masters_theses/910
Concentrations of TCE in Eastern Elkhart
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Comments
One plate, folded in the back pocket of the manuscript, is provided here as a supplemental file. Due to its large size, this file may take more time to download.