Abstract
Trichloroethene (TCE) and its degradation product (via microbial action) cis-1,2-dichloroethene (DCE) are contaminants found at the CTS of Asheville, Inc, a former electroplating facility. Due to high levels of the contaminants, the site became an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) superfund site. Contamination is also found at property neighboring CTS of Asheville and an air sparging system was installed in 2014 to reduce TCE air levels. For this study, stream samples were collected and analyzed for TCE and DCE using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry from the property adjacent to the superfund site for a span of 2 years (prior to, during and after the air sparging system installation). TCE and DCE contamination concentration and volatilization rates downstream were determined. During system installation, TCE contamination in the stream decreased to less than a third of prior values and DCE increased by about a factor of 3. The combined amount of TCE and DCE remained the same, indicating that the contamination remained constant but TCE had degraded more readily into DCE during installation. After system installation was completed, the TCE concentration began increasing and DCE concentration decreasing.
How to Cite
Svetlova, L., (2015) “Analysis of Air Sparging of Contaminated Springs on Trichloroethene and Cis-1,2-Dichloroethene Content in Surface Streams.”, Capstone, The UNC Asheville Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship 28(1).
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