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Oxidation-Reduction Potential. The ORP of groundwater is a measure of electron activity and is <br /> ' an indicator of the relative tendency of a solution to accept or transfer electrons. Oxidation- <br /> reduction reactions in groundwater containing organic compounds are usually biologically <br /> mediated, and therefore, the ORP of a groundwater system depends upon and influences rates of <br /> biodegradation. Reductive dechlorination is generally considered to be possible as long as ORP <br /> is below approximately 50 mV, although it is more likely to be significant in a more reducing <br /> environment (i.e., ORP of—100 mV or below). ORP measurements at this site were all positive <br /> ' with the exception of measurements from MW-4B, MW-713 and MW-813; however over time, <br /> these measurements were not consistently below zero at any of these three wells. <br /> ' pH. The pH of groundwater has an effect on the presence and vigor of microbial populations in <br /> groundwater. This is especially true for methanogens. Microbes capable of degrading <br /> chlorinated compounds generally thrive in a pH environment between 6 and 8 standard units. <br /> The pH of groundwater samples at the French Camp site vary between approximately 4.0 and <br /> 8.8; however, the majority of the samples fall within 6 to 8 standard units, which is within the <br /> ' range conducive to reductive dechlorination. <br /> 4. Chemical Characterization of the Amendment <br /> The proposed amendment to the aquifer consists of injection of zero-valent iron (ZVI) with a <br /> guar and an enzyme breaker to assist in the dehalogenation of carbon tetrachloride. <br /> Guar gum makes the slurry viscous and allows the granular iron to be suspended and pumped <br /> into the injection well. Guar gum is a food additive used to increase the viscosity of products, <br /> ' such as cream cheese and ice cream. The enzyme breaker is added to the biodegradable slurry to <br /> reduce the viscosity of the biopolymer once the fracture is emplaced in the subsurface. <br /> Appendix A contains the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for each product. The only listed <br /> ' hazardous chemical ingredient in the enzyme breaker is sodium chloride. The ZVI contains less <br /> than 0.2% chromium on a weight basis. Therefore, this parameter has been added to the <br /> monitoring schedule. <br /> In 2001 a similar installation method was used to install a permeable reactive barrier (PRB) at a <br /> former DuPont facility in Oakley, California. The PRB was constructed biy using vertical <br /> ' hydraulic fracturing to inject a mixture of granular iron and biodegradable slurry . <br /> The ZVI mesh ranges from — 18 to + 84, similar to mid-sand size, this ZVI has been previously <br /> used in California, including the Central Valley. Appendix A contains iron leaching data <br /> supplied by ETI; no separate testing of the iron is proposed. <br /> ' 5. Contineency Plan/Capture Zone <br /> The proposed action is located in the central portion of the property well within the property <br /> ' boundaries. The groundwater velocity is considered low (likely less than about 10 feet per year) <br /> and the plume is considered stable. The compliance point for the aquifer would be monitoring <br /> well MW-413. Adverse effects on the groundwater at this location would be abated according to <br /> ' the type of constituent encountered. <br /> This same iron was also used at BP-Gardena(LA Water Board)and Sierra Army Depot(Lahontan Water Board <br /> and Sacramento DTSQ. <br /> RACONTGRAMCC14Cargill\French Camp\Waste Discharge Application\supp info 6-29-04.doc <br /> 12 <br />