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- Using Plants to Sustain Military Ranges
- Sonar Key to Detecting Underwater UXO
- Monitoring and Mapping Coral Reefs
- EPA-Approved Protocol for Range Characterization
- Robotic Laser Coating Removal System
- MetalMapper
- Understanding cis-DCE and VC Biodegradation
- Eliminating Cr from Medium Caliber Gun Barrels
- Predicting Responses to Landscape Changes
- Applying Statistics and Modeling to UXO Discrimination
- Composites with Low HAP Compounds
- Perchlorate-Free Flares Undergo Qualification Testing
- Recovering Energy from Landfill Gas
- Modeling Underwater UXO Mobility in Reef Environments
- Understanding the Behavioral Ecology of Cetaceans
- Forecasting the Effects of Stressors on At-Risk Species
- Advanced Signal Processing for UXO Discrimination
- Reducing Emissions for Jet Engines of the Future
- Assessing Vapor Intrusion at Chlorinated Solvent Sites
- Passive Sampling of Contaminated Sediments
- Leveraging Advanced Sensor Data to Clean Up UXO
- Source Zone Architecture Key to DNAPL Remediation
- Biopolymers Maintain Training Berms, Prevent Contamination
- Rare-Earth Corrosion Protection Mechanisms
- Cold Spray Technology for Aircraft Component Repair
- Ecological Research Supports Training at Camp Lejeune
- Loss of Permafrost – Impact on DoD Lands in Alaska
- Converting Solar Energy to Electricity and Heat
- ASETSDefense Workshop on Sustainable Surface Engineering
- Forward Operating Bases: Water and Waste Management
- Evaluating Matrix Diffusion Effects on Groundwater
- ES&T Features In Situ Sediment Remediation
- Erosion Resistant Coating Improves Engine Efficiency
- Optimizing Boiler Efficiency Through Combustion Control
- Climate Change Adaptation: Enhanced Decision Making
- Adapting Energy-Efficient Heat Pumps for Cold Climates
- Workshop on Sustainable Surface Engineering Advances
- Ecological Forestry & DoD’s Carbon Footprint
- Munitions Classification in the Hands of Production Firms
- Intelligent and Energy-Efficient LED Street Lighting
- ESTCP Partners with EPA on Watershed Management
- White House Energy Security Blueprint References ESTCP
- Success Classifying Munitions in Wooded Areas
- Evaluating Technology Performance at DNAPL Sites
- ‘Flyer’ Improves OB/OD Air Emissions Measurement
- Identifying Research Needs for Underwater Munitions
- Success Classifying Small Munitions at Camp Butner
- Managing Military Lands in the Southwest
- Partnering to Advance Munitions Classification
- ‘Flyer’ Improves OB/OD Air Emissions Measurement - Preview
- Sonar Identifies Underwater Munitions in Gulf Study
- Protective Coating Improves Jet Engine Fuel Efficiency
- Assessing Pacific Island Watershed Health
- New Insights Into Tracking Contaminants in Bedrock
- ClimaStat Technology Improves HVAC Efficiency
- Innovative Plating Process for Beryllium Alternatives
New Insights Into Tracking Contaminants in Bedrock
One of DoD’s most challenging environmental restoration issues is determining how to deal with contaminants that have seeped into the fractures in bedrock and are a continuing source of groundwater contamination. A recent SERDP-funded research project found that studying the fundamental features of the bedrock itself may hold a key to addressing this challenge.
Dr. Charles Schaefer of CB&I and his team measured and evaluated the ways in which the mineralogy of the bedrock can affect how chemicals are stored and how long it takes for those contaminants to break down through natural attenuation. For this project, the researchers focused on trichloroethene (TCE), a toxic cleaning solvent used for much of the twentieth century by the military and private industry. TCE is one of the most widely dispersed contaminants in the United States, and it is found on nearly all military installations in the country. On those installations that are known to have fractured bedrock, TCE migrates through conductive fractures, and also into the rock itself. For these sites, it is extremely difficult and, in many cases cost-prohibitive, to locate the contaminant source and remove it.
The study found that the mineralogy of the bedrock can have a significant effect on the rate of natural attenuation of TCE. For example, the presence of ferrous iron minerals within the rock, which is common in many types of bedrock, can hasten the rate of TCE dechlorination. While it was long believed that natural attenuation of TCE in bedrock would take hundreds of years, the results of this study suggest that in fact it could occur within our lifetime.
The data from this study can be used to better predict rates of TCE dechlorination at bedrock sites on military installations, providing DoD with an essential tool to guide decisions on how best to treat contaminated sites. At sites where acceptable rates of monitored natural attenuation (MNA) can be demonstrated, more aggressive and expensive treatment can be avoided.
For this significant work, Dr. Schaefer received the 2013 SERDP Project-of-the-Year Award for Environmental Restoration.
Project Summary
Project Team
- Dr. Hailiang Dong, Miami University
- David R. Lippincott, CB&I
- Rachael M. Towne, CB&I
- Dr. Duane Root, CB&I
- Dr. Rick Colwell, Oregon State University
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