Characterization / Analysis

Update on Vapor Intrusion.  The USEPA and many states have adopted strict indoor air vapor intrusion guidance documents.  A major movement has been linking groundwater and indoor air concentrations to develop groundwater cleanup criteria.  In many states, risks associated with the vapor intrusion pathway can require cleanup to below MCLs!  Aquifer Solutions experience with vapor intrusion investigation and risk determination positions us to manage potential vapor intrusion issues within an overall project strategy.

Aquifer Solutions has extensive experience with subsurface characterization and analysis including both vadose zone and groundwater environments.  We have a strong company philosophy that subsurface characterization efforts should be directed by a functional project strategy and should not be driven by arbitrary technical criteria.  We believe in collecting the right data for the project needs.  Additionally, our industry-leading remediation expertise positions us to ensure that all data needed to develop remediation designs are collected in earlier phases of a project.  This approach prevents costly redoubling of characterization efforts, and ensures that adequate characterization data are available to limit the uncertainty in remedial designs.

A number of recently emerging technical developments provide important context for designing and conducting site characterization programs. These developments include improved understanding of NAPL source zones, the relationships between vadose zone sources and groundwater plumes, and the relationships between groundwater conditions and soil vapor distribution of volatile organics. Additionally, real-time data analysis in the field has opened the door to adaptive subsurface characterization techniques that can save significant time and money.

Some of the characterization and analysis tools that we have applied include the following:

• Delineation and quantification of soil and groundwater concentrations
• Source and plume mass distribution
• Membrane Interface Probe source delination
• Natural attenuation evaluation and documentation
• Geochemical evaluation and fingerprinting
• GIS/CAD graphical presentation
• Geophysical tools
• Innovative aquifer testing

Hydrogeologic Analysis and Modeling.  Aquifer Solutions has broad experience with hydrogeologic analysis and vadose zone and groundwater modeling, including:

Aquifer testing Aquifer pumping testing Push-Pull tracer and reactive transport testing Slug tests (hydraulic and pneumatic) Groundwater flow analysis Water balance Seasonal influences Fracture-flow and granular aquifer systems
Subsurface geochemistry and fate and transport analysis Geochemical fingerprinting Source determination Plume evolution analysis Natural attenuation analysis
Modeling Vadose zone and variably saturated flow and transport Source-plume transport analysis Groundwater flow and capture Contaminant transport Modeling for remediation design