A Multidisciplinary Approach to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Natural Attenuation at a Contaminated Site

This study evaluates the natural attenuation of chlorinated hydrocarbons as remediation action in a contaminated site downtown the city of Parma (Italy). To achieve this goal, a combination of new investigation methods (bio-molecular analysis, compound specific isotope analysis, phytoscreening) has been proposed. The approach (named circular multi step) allows to: fully understand the phenomena that occur at the study site, design new investigation activities, and manage best practices. Consequently, each step of the approach improves the conceptual and numerical models with new knowledge. The activities carried out at the study site allowed to detect a contamination of perchloroethylene in a large part of the city of Parma and, of main importance, underneath a kindergarten. The results of the study did not show significant natural attenuation of chlorinated hydrocarbons and that the detected contamination could refer to the same unknown contaminant source. Furthermore, the innovative phytoscreening technique was applied to assess the presence of chlorinated hydrocarbons at the ground level. The plume spread was estimated through numerical modeling starting from potential contaminant sources. This study enhances the knowledge of groundwater flow and contamination in Parma and allows authorities to design new investigation/reclamation activities through management actions.

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Assessment of Biodegradation in Natural Attenuation Process of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons Contaminated Site: An Anaerobic Microcosm Study

Soil and Sediment Contamination An International Journal ◽

10.1080/15320383.2019.1689920 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 165-179

Author(s):

Xiaodong Zhang ◽

Xin Zhu ◽

Ranran Chen ◽

Shaopo Deng ◽

Ran Yu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Natural Attenuation ◽

Chlorinated Hydrocarbons ◽

Contaminated Site ◽

Microcosm Study

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Carbon and hydrogen isotope analysis of parathion for characterizing its natural attenuation by hydrolysis at a contaminated site

Water Research ◽

10.1016/j.watres.2018.06.039 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 143 ◽

pp. 146-154 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Langping Wu ◽

Dipti Verma ◽

Morten Bondgaard ◽

Anja Melvej ◽

Carsten Vogt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Natural Attenuation ◽

Hydrogen Isotope ◽

Isotope Analysis ◽

Contaminated Site ◽

Carbon And Hydrogen Isotope

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Strategies to improve implementation of adaptive management practices for restoration in coastal Louisiana

Shore & Beach ◽

10.34237/10088110 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 83-91

Author(s):

Tim Carruthers ◽

Richard Raynie ◽

Alyssa Dausman ◽

Syed Khalil

Keyword(s):

Adaptive Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Numerical Models ◽

The United States ◽

State Agency ◽

Coastal Protection ◽

Coastal Restoration ◽

Management Actions ◽

Coastal Louisiana ◽

Restoration Effort

Natural resources of coastal Louisiana support the economies of Louisiana and the whole of the United States. However, future conditions of coastal Louisiana are highly uncertain due to the dynamic processes of the Mississippi River delta, unpredictable storm events, subsidence, sea level rise, increasing temperatures, and extensive historic management actions that have altered natural coastal processes. To address these concerns, a centralized state agency was formed to coordinate coastal protection and restoration effort, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA). This promoted knowledge centralization and supported informal adaptive management for restoration efforts, at that time mostly funded through the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA). Since the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill in 2010 and the subsequent settlement, the majority of restoration funding for the next 15 years will come through one of the DWH mechanisms; Natural Resource and Damage Assessment (NRDA), the RESTORE Council, or National Fish and Wildlife Foundation –Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund (NFWF-GEBF). This has greatly increased restoration effort and increased governance complexity associated with project funding, implementation, and reporting. As a result, there is enhanced impetus to formalize and unify adaptive management processes for coastal restoration in Louisiana. Through synthesis of input from local coastal managers, historical and current processes for project and programmatic implementation and adaptive management were summarized. Key gaps and needs to specifically increase implementation of adaptive management within the Louisiana coastal restoration community were identified and developed into eight tangible and specific recommendations. These were to streamline governance through increased coordination amongst implementing entities, develop a discoverable and practical lessons learned and decision database, coordinate ecosystem reporting, identify commonality of restoration goals, develop a common cross-agency adaptive management handbook for all personnel, improve communication (both in-reach and outreach), have a common repository and clearing house for numerical models used for restoration planning and assessment, and expand approaches for two-way stakeholder engagement throughout the restoration process. A common vision and maximizing synergies between entities can improve adaptive management implementation to maximize ecosystem and community benefits of restoration effort in coastal Louisiana. This work adds to current knowledge by providing specific strategies and recommendations, based upon extensive engagement with restoration practitioners from multiple state and federal agencies. Addressing these practitioner-identified gaps and needs will improve engagement in adaptive management in coastal Louisiana, a large geographic area with high restoration implementation within a complex governance framework.

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Field study of microbial community structure and dechlorination activity in a multi-solvents co-contaminated site undergoing natural attenuation

Journal of Hazardous Materials ◽

10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127010 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 127010

Author(s):

Xiaodong Zhang ◽

Moye Luo ◽

Shaopo Deng ◽

Tao Long ◽

Liwei Sun ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Community Structure ◽

Microbial Community ◽

Field Study ◽

Microbial Community Structure ◽

Natural Attenuation ◽

Contaminated Site

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Assessing the transformation of chlorinated ethenes in aquifers with limited potential for natural attenuation: Added values of compound-specific carbon isotope analysis and groundwater dating

Chemosphere ◽

10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.06.063 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 85 (5) ◽

pp. 774-781 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Helena I.F. Amaral ◽

Christoph Aeppli ◽

Rolf Kipfer ◽

Michael Berg

Keyword(s):

Carbon Isotope ◽

Natural Attenuation ◽

Isotope Analysis ◽

Chlorinated Ethenes ◽

Groundwater Dating ◽

Carbon Isotope Analysis ◽

Compound Specific Carbon Isotope

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Comparative Assessments of Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene Natural Attenuation by Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis of a Catabolic Gene, Signature Metabolites, and Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis

Environmental Science & Technology ◽

10.1021/es8009666 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 42 (16) ◽

pp. 6065-6072 ◽

Cited By ~ 56

Author(s):

Harry R. Beller ◽

Staci R. Kane ◽

Tina C. Legler ◽

Jennifer R. McKelvie ◽

Barbara Sherwood Lollar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Natural Attenuation ◽

Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽

Isotope Analysis ◽

Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis ◽

Gene Signature ◽

Catabolic Gene ◽

Chain Reaction ◽

Compound Specific Isotope Analysis ◽

Benzene Toluene ◽

Polymerase Chain

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An Optimized Snowmelt Lysimeter System for Monitoring Melt Rates and Collecting Samples for Stable Water Isotope Analysis

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics ◽

10.2478/johh-2018-0007 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 67 (1) ◽

pp. 20-31 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Andrea Rücker ◽

Massimiliano Zappa ◽

Stefan Boss ◽

Jana von Freyberg

Keyword(s):

Isotopic Composition ◽

Isotope Analysis ◽

Ground Level ◽

Isotopic Signature ◽

Small Scale ◽

Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽

Environmental Tracers ◽

Hydrograph Separation ◽

Stable Water Isotopes ◽

Restricted Volume

Abstract The contribution of snow meltwater to catchment streamflow can be quantified through hydrograph separation analyses for which stable water isotopes (18O, 2H) are used as environmental tracers. For this, the spatial and temporal variability of the isotopic composition of meltwater needs to be captured by the sampling method. This study compares an optimized snowmelt lysimeter system and an unheated precipitation collector with focus on their ability to capture snowmelt rates and the isotopic composition of snowmelt. The snowmelt lysimeter system consists of three individual unenclosed lysimeters at ground level with a surface of 0.14 m2 each. The unheated precipitation collector consists of a 30 cm-long, extended funnel with its orifice at 2.3 m above ground. Daily snowmelt samples were collected with both systems during two snowfall-snowmelt periods in 2016. The snowmelt lysimeter system provided more accurate measurements of natural melt rates and allowed for capturing the small-scale variability of snowmelt process at the plot scale, such as lateral meltwater flow from the surrounding snowpack. Because of the restricted volume of the extended funnel, daily melt rates from the unheated precipitation collector were up to 43% smaller compared to the snowmelt lysimeter system. Overall, both snowmelt collection methods captured the general temporal evolution of the isotopic signature in snowmelt.

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