Natural Attenuation of Trichloroethylene in Rhizosphere Soils at the Savannah River Site

Abstract

Extensive trichloroethylene (TCE) groundwater contamination has resulted from discharges to a former seepage basin in the A/M Area at the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site. The direction of groundwater flow has been determined and a seep line where the contaminated groundwater is estimated to emerge as surface water has been identified in a region of the Southern Sector of the A/M Area. This study was undertaken to estimate the potential of four rhizosphere soils along the seep line to naturally attenuate TCE. Microcosms were setup to evaluate both biotic and abiotic attenuation of TCE. Results demonstrated that sorption to soil was the dominant mechanism during the first week of incubation, with as much as 90% of the TCE removed from the aqueous phase. Linear partitioning coefficients (Kd) ranged from 0.83 to 7.4 mL/g, while organic carbon partition coefficients (Koc) ranged from 72 to 180 mL/gC. Diffu-sional losses from the microcosms appeared to be a dominant fate mechanism during the remainde...