This case study reviews a site at Martha’s Vineyard Airport where a PlumeStop barrier was used to treat PFAS. In less than four months, PlumeStop has eliminated PFAS mass flux immediately downgradient of the barrier and significantly reduced PFAS concentrations further away, as monitoring continues. The cost-effective and sustainable solution to remove PFAS exposure risk provides an alternative to expensive and ineffective pump & treat (P&T) systems.
Case study highlights:
- Cost-effective in situ approach addresses PFAS risk with no greenhouse gases or hazardous waste
- Contaminant flux measurements were obtained using FluxTracer, informing the PlumeStop dose required in the barrier to achieve the treatment objective
- Early performance data show PFAS mass flux eliminated downgradient of PlumeStop barrier, as monitoring continues
Tetra Tech, a global environmental consulting firm, has worked with Martha’s Vineyard Airport over the years, addressing a dry-cleaning solvent release and other environmental issues at the site. At the request of the airport, Tetra Tech conducted an initial, preemptive PFAS assessment in 2018, confirming the presence of PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals” in groundwater. The remediation goal was to stop further PFAS movement away from the site. Tetra Tech opted for an in situ remediation approach. A PlumeStop permeable reactive barrier (PRB) was installed to filter PFAS out of groundwater, sorbing the contaminants onto the aquifer matrix and preventing further plume migration.