This case study reviews a former dry-cleaning site in Martinsville, Indiana that had a perchloroethylene (PCE) release which contaminated the community’s groundwater with concentrations in excess of 370 parts per billion (ppb). After a successful pilot test and four monitoring events, environmental consulting firm Wilcox Environmental Engineering and the site owner decided to implement a full-scale application using PlumeStop.
Case study highlights:
- PlumeStop effectively treated the plume in the well-oxygenated, sand and gravel lithology
- 99% reduction of PCE ~30 days after the application in key monitoring wells
- Demonstration of PRB leading to full-scale treatment in Spring 2020
The sand and gravel aquifer created a challenging problem due to the high flow regime, with a groundwater velocity of approximately 1,560 ft/year and oxygenated geochemistry which had limited natural attenuation. The property owner, interested in the potential sale of the site, engaged Wilcox, a regional environmental consulting firm based in Indianapolis. After a thorough evaluation of possible technologies, Wilcox determined that PlumeStop® Liquid Activated Carbon™ in combination with HRC® and BDI Plus® could prevent the plume from migrating and would work in the well-oxygenated, sand and gravel lithology.