Topics in Environmental Forensics
Six Ways We Have Used Nuclear Explosions A Half Century Ago
To Save Our Clients Millions Of Dollars!
1. Regulators were vehemently contending that the extent of our clients' groundwater impacts (from a 1960s landfill) were much wider and subsequently, much more expensive to address. Our opinion differed. We used tritium concentrations in groundwater in the aquifer to demonstrate the maximum possible extent of the landfill's influence; the data were conclusive and our client saved a significant amount of time and money.
2. Our client was embroiled in a very complex groundwater issue that involved a multi-layered aquifer system. Although the nearby landfill had indeed impacted the first and second layers of the aquifer, the deepest aquifer was not contaminated by them; it was impacted from natural brine...and tritium dating helped establish this.
3. When residents of homes that surrounded an historic landfill were contending that their water wells were impacted by the landfill, we used tritium to show that this was not possible.
4 We have refuted regulator's contention regarding management of contaminated soil in place. The regulator insisted that impacted soils managed in place posed an unacceptable risk to the underlying aquifer. Once again, using tritium data to determine the age of the groundwater, we were able to show that rainwater moving through the contaminated soil would never reach the aquifer. This meant there was no scientific reason not to allow the much more cost-effective approach of in-place management of soils.
5. Conversely, we have used tritium concentrations in the underlying groundwater to show that even though a site was apparently protected by thick, overlying, clayey soil, in-place management of impacted soils could spell disaster by contaminating the groundwater.
6. We have used the USEPA's and, in many cases, state regulators' acceptance (in their wellhead protection program) of tritium concentrations of less than 1 Tritium Unit in lieu of expensive drilling and aquifer testing methods to ensure adequate groundwater quality protection.
Historic Concentrations of Tritium in Groundwater
If you have additional questions regarding environmental forensics, contact Michael Sklash, Ph.D., P.Eng. at 248.932.0228 or by email.
Dragun Corporation® 2007