Ground Water Technical Support Center (GWTSC) Current Projects and Highlights
Current Projects
Yerington, Nevada (EPA Region 9): For over a decade, GWTSC has been providing and continues support at the former Anaconda Copper Mine. We are evaluating the fate and transport of inorganic contaminants, specifically uranium. Fate and transport is the movement and chemical change of contaminants as they move through media. Media includes air, soil, water and ground water. An evaluation of the site characterization results, hydrogeologic framework and monitoring methods is ongoing.
Thermal Remediation: In situ thermal remediation technologies use steam injection, electrical-resistance heating or thermal-conductive heating to inject energy into the subsurface. This mobilizes pollution so it is easy to remove. The contaminants, groundwater, and vapors are pumped out and treated or sent off site for disposal.
These technologies first developed for enhanced oil recovery. We commonly use these technologies to remediate a wide variety of contaminants from a wide variety of hydrogeologic conditions. When applied aggressively, these technologies reduce residual contamination to very low levels. Natural attenuation processes then degrade the contamination.
EPA research increased our understanding on how the addition of heat to the subsurface affects
- the physical properties of organic liquids in porous media,
- the levels of residual contamination that will remain after thermal treatment, and
- the in situ reactions that may occur under thermal remediation conditions.
EPA offers technical support for site-specific applications of these technologies.
References and Products
Costanza, J., J. Mulholland, K. Pennell, and E. Davis. Effects of Thermal Treatments on the Chemical Reactivity of Trichloroethylene (EPA/600/R-07/091) August 2007
Davis, E. Steam Injection for Soil and Aquifer Remediation – Ground Water Issue (PDF)(16 pp, 648 K, About PDF) (EPA/540/S-97/505) January 1998
Davis, E. How Heat Can Enhance In Situ Soil and Aquifer Remediation: Important Chemical Properties and Guidance on Choosing the Appropriate Technique – Ground Water Issue (PDF) (18 pp, 92 KB) (EPA/540/S-97/502) April 1997
<a data-cke-saved-href="/ada/gw/pdfs/research%3ESteam%20Injection%20Into%20Fractured%20Bedrock%C2%A0at%20Loring%20Air%20Force%20Base%C2%A0%28PDF%29%3Cspan%3ESteam%20Injection%20Into%20Fractured%20Bedrock%C2%A0at%20Loring%20Air%20Force%20Base%C2%A0%28PDF%29%3Cspan%3E%C2%A0%3Cspan%20class%3D"fileinfo">(2 pp, 133 K, About PDF)
Contact
Eva Davis
580-436-8548
Highlights
GWTSC sends out highlights of technical assistance and selected research activities and publications. This newsletter describes many of the center's accomplishments.
2015
Groundwater Technical Support Center Research Highlights, 2015
- January 19, 2015
- January 26, 2015
- February 02, 2015
- March 2, 2015 (PDF)(1 pg, 356 K, 2015-03-02)
- March 16, 2015 (PDF)(1 pg, 402 K, 2015-03-16)
- March 30, 2015 (PDF)(1 pg, 405 K, 2015-03-30)
- April 06, 2015 (PDF)(1 pg, 386 K, 2015-04-06)
- April 13, 2015 (PDF)(1 pg, 342 K, 2015-04-13)
- May 04, 2015 (PDF)(1 pg, 367 K, 2015-05-04)
- May 11, 2015 (PDF)(1 pg, 385 K, 2015-05-11)
- May 18, 2015 (PDF)(1 pg, 556 K, 2015-05-18)