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ARCADIS Ms. Amy Terrell <br /> January 29, 2014 <br /> result provided by the laboratory to an equivalent volume of LNAPL that was <br /> degraded to generate the CO2, resulting in an NSZD rate. <br /> Two rounds of CO2 flux field measurements were collected to confirm that the results <br /> were reproducible and to assess seasonality. CO2 traps were deployed at the four <br /> locations shown on Figure 2 during each of the sampling events. Two traps were <br /> deployed within the footprint of the LNAPL plume and two traps were deployed <br /> outside of the footprint of the plume for use in background correction. Upon retrieval <br /> and analysis, the CO2 flux data were "background" corrected as detailed below. <br /> During the first quarter sampling event, the traps were deployed on February 12, <br /> 2013 and recovered on February 26, 2013 and during the fourth quarter sampling <br /> event, the traps were deployed on November 4, 2013 and recovered on November <br /> 19, 2013. Samples were also collected during the third quarter of 2013; however, the <br /> samples were likely mislabeled and mishandled by the laboratory and the data were <br /> not used in this evaluation. <br /> Laboratory Background Correction <br /> Carbon-14 (14C) isotopes are typically found in natural CO2 soil respiration and not <br /> found in LNAPL degradation. Given the relatively short half-life of 14C, the proportion <br /> of 14C isotopes in CO2 evolved from petroleum hydrocarbons would be much lower <br /> than from soil respiration of other near-surface natural organic matter(Conrad et al., <br /> 1999). Therefore, to differentiate background natural CO2 soil respiration from CO2 <br /> flux associated with LNAPL degradation, the fraction of 14C isotopes in the captured <br /> CO2 was analyzed in the laboratory. Using this fraction, the laboratory conservatively <br /> corrected the NSZD rate by removing the natural CO2 soil respiration rate. <br /> Additional Background Correction <br /> Observation of 14C depleted CO2 in the CO2 traps placed at background locations <br /> outside of the footprint of the LNAPL plume can be attributed to either horizontal <br /> migration of CO2 in the vadose zone from areas within the footprint of the LNAPL <br /> plume and/or degradation of older organic matter in the soil. A conservative <br /> assumption was made for this assessment that 14C depleted CO2 in background <br /> samples (Station 3 and Station 4), was generated from biological degradation of <br /> relatively old organic matter and not due to horizontal migration of petroleum-derived <br /> CO2. Therefore, the average petroleum mass loss rates reported by the laboratory for <br /> the background samples were subtracted from those in the LNAPL footprint to <br /> determine the final LNAPL degradation rate. <br /> Page: <br />" G\Projects\UPRR_RosevilleVRC000709_Tracy Mnt FacilAy\3_DELIVERABLES\2014.01 NSZD Rpt\Tracy ca-Maird Facility_NSZD Rpt(01-29-14).doc 4/9 <br />