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Chlorinated Solvents – A Summary of Source, Fate, Transport, and Remediation Techniques

By Braun Intertec | February 24, 2016

Chlorinated solvents such as tetrachloroethene (perchloroethene, PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) have been widely used in various industrial applications for many years. PCE is used as a metal degreaser, in the textile industry, and as an intermediate in the synthesis of some fluorocarbons; however, it is most commonly associated with dry cleaning operations.  TCE is primarily used as a solvent to remove grease from metals and as a chemical intermediary, particularly in the production of the refrigerant HFC-134a.  It has been estimated that 6.4 million metric tons of PCE were manufactured and distributed throughout the U.S. from 1945 to 1984; while, production of TCE in the U.S. was reported to be 130,000 metric tons per year in 1985.  PCE is currently classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a “likely carcinogen” and by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a “probable carcinogen.”  Both the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, part of WHO) and the EPA have classified TCE as “carcinogenic to humans.”

Neither PCE nor TCE are consumed through their various uses. As a result, they are often released to the environment through disposal of solid or liquid wastes or discharged directly to the atmosphere or into soil and/or surface water. Direct release of either compound to the soil surface typically results in rapid volatilization and/or photo-oxidation; however, once introduced to subsurface soil, PCE and TCE tend to persist as degradation rates in such environments are much slower.  Percolation through soil, or uptake in infiltrating rainwater, can eventually result in groundwater contamination.

Due to their widespread use, transport, and persistence, PCE and TCE are common groundwater contaminants, accounting for a significant portion of groundwater remediation efforts throughout the U.S. Remedial strategies associated with PCE/TCE in groundwater often include injection of liquids designed to chemically degrade these compounds or injection of biostimulants designed to invigorate naturally-occurring microbial communities and enhance natural biodegradation.  In some instances, natural attenuation, alone, may be a suitable option for remediation.

Braun Intertec has extensive experience addressing PCE/TCE-impacted groundwater using a variety of techniques across diverse site settings. Our subject matter experts can create a tailored remedial plan including administrative controls such as Municipal Setting Designations (MSDs) and plume management zones (PMZs); mechanical/engineering controls such as chemical, physical, or hydraulic barriers; physical contaminant removal through groundwater treatment systems; chemical degradation through injection of chemical oxidizers or electron donors; and enhanced natural attenuation through biostimulation, including the use of “green technology” chemical additives.  Braun Intertec has successfully employed these techniques at assorted industrial facilities, dry-cleaning operations, automotive repair shops, airports, Brownfield sites, and many other real estate developments, including single- and multi-family residential properties.

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