Assessing Abiotic Contribution of Contaminant Attenuation with Rate Constants from 14C Assays

Abiotic degradation of groundwater contaminants such as chlorinated ethenes and 1,4-dioxane has been historically under-considered during remediation strategy selection. In aerobic aquifers, where reductive dechlorination of contaminants is inhibited, degradation processes have been difficult to document conclusively. The lack of readily identifiable transformation products from 1,4-dioxane makes documenting its degradation at low concentrations in groundwater…

14C Assays, Min-Traps, and Sampling Guidance: Documenting Abiotic Degradation of Contaminants

Abiotic degradation of groundwater contaminants such as chlorinated ethenes and 1,4-dioxane has been historically under-considered during remediation strategy selection. Despite its usefulness in aerobic aquifers, where reductive dechlorination of contaminants is inhibited, these processes have been difficult to document conclusively.  The lack of readily identifiable transformation products from 1,4-dioxane makes documenting its degradation at low…