Events Calendar

Optimum Cleanup Scenarios for VOCs and Perchlorate in Baldwin Park Operable Unit, San Gabriel Valle

PhD Defense for Christian SamThe Baldwin Park Operable Unit (BPOU) in the San Gabriel Valley basin, California has been identified by the USEPA as a ground water contaminant superfund site. This research employs optimized hydraulic gradient control to cost-effectively remove the contaminant plumes. Perchlorate (PCR) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), predominantly tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE) are still prevalent in the Baldwin Park Operable Unit (BPOU). This study proposes a methodology that optimizes available ground water and surface water resources and blocks, traps and reduces the contaminant concentration below the maximum contaminant level (MCL) or notification level (NL). The current strategy by USEPA and other agencies involved in the cleanup of BPOU is "pump and treat." Pump and treat has not been effective as high levels of PCE, TCE and PCR are still prevalent in BPOU after approximately 14 years of clean up. Blending ground water from wells not impacted by the contamination with ground water from wells impacted by the contamination is a supplemental strategy employed by the water purveyors to circumvent the contamination problem. This research provides an overall systematic strategy to clean up the entire aquifer at BPOU.The MODFLOW, MODPATH and RT3D modules of Ground Water Vistas (ground water modeling program) are used to generate the ground water flow model, particle tracking model and contaminant transport models. Further migration of the contaminants is limited. Contaminants are rapidly trapped and removed by a set of experimentally designed injection and production wells. The procedure utilizes sequential simulation with optimization to optimally and rapidly remove the contaminants using a hydraulic gradient scheme. The hydraulic gradient scheme was run to test future scenarios using assumed wet and dry cycles from the hydrologic base period.An economic analysis was performed to compare the cost of the existing system with the cost of the strategy proposed in this study. The strategy proposed in this study resulted in a cost effective solution.

Location: Kaprielian Hall (KAP) - 209

Audiences: Everyone Is Invited

Contact: Evangeline Reyes