HR: 12:05h
AN: H42C-08    [Abstracts]
TI: Field experiments on impact of ethanol on natural attenuation of BTEX and MTBE in groundwater
AU: * Mackay, D M
EM: dmmackay@ucdavis.edu
AF: University of California, Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, Davis, CA 95616 United States
AU: Einarson, M D
EM: mdeinarson@stanford.edu
AF: University of California, Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, Davis, CA 95616 United States
AU: de Sieyes, N R
EM: desieyes@umail.ucsb.edu
AF: University of California, Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, Davis, CA 95616 United States
AU: Pappas, A
EM: apl@hotmail.com
AF: University of California, Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, Davis, CA 95616 United States
AU: Wood, I A
EM: iawood@ucdavis.edu
AF: University of California, Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, Davis, CA 95616 United States
AU: Jacobson, L A
EM: lajacobson@ucdavis.edu
AF: University of California, Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, Davis, CA 95616 United States
AU: Svetty, A V
EM: avsetty@ucdavis.edu
AF: University of California, Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, Davis, CA 95616 United States
AU: Noske, M
EM: mnoskephysics@yahoo.com
AF: University of California, Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, Davis, CA 95616 United States
AU: Justice, L
EM: Larrygjustice@wmconnect.com
AF: University of California, Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, Davis, CA 95616 United States
AU: Feris, K
EM: kmscow@ucdavis.edu
AF: University of California, Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, Davis, CA 95616 United States
AU: Scow, K M
EM: kmscow@ucdavis.edu
AF: University of California, Davis, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, Davis, CA 95616 United States
AB: Ethanol has replaced MTBE in gasoline in California and elsewhere, in part to reduce problems with MTBE contamination of groundwater resulting from fuel spills. We are conducting field studies of the subsurface impacts of releases of ethanol-containing gasoline. In May 2004, we began side-by-side controlled release experiments at an existing fuel spill site (a former gasoline station) at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. In one side of the paired experiments, we have been releasing benzene, toluene, o-xylene and tracers in a controlled and steady rate into a shallow, extremely well-characterized aquifer. In the other side, we have been releasing benzene, toluene, o-xylene, tracers and ethanol into the aquifer in the same manner. Using an extremely detailed grid of monitoring wells, we are gathering information on the migration and fate of the species in the two sides, and thus on the differences caused by the presence of the ethanol on one of the sides. Results from the first several months of the experiments suggest that the preferential degradation of the ethanol causes a significant reduction in the natural attenuation of the BTX species. We are also gaining insight into the impact that the more reduced conditions caused by ethanol degradation have on the fate of MTBE. Changes in the microbial community are being monitored as a means of understanding as well as generalizing the results.
DE: 1894 Instruments and techniques
DE: 1831 Groundwater quality
DE: 1832 Groundwater transport
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting