Using Groundwater Plume Analytics to Assess PFAS Plume Fate and Transport
Joe Ricker, Senior Technical Principal, WSP USA, Inc.
Evaluating fate and transport of PFAS plumes is a relatively new endeavor since many remediation sites have very limited historical datasets for PFAS. Monitored natural attenuation (MNA) plays a critical role in the remediation of many contaminants in groundwater, and research is now indicating that MNA can become a major component of many PFAS remedial strategies. The MNA of PFAS can be a viable alternative, as either a standalone or combined remedy, if the concepts of plume stability and receptor protection are implemented. The Ricker Method® for plume stability analysis is a unique public-domain method of evaluating plume stability that overcomes limitations posed by conventional well-by-well analysis techniques. Outputs from the Ricker Method® can be used to reliably and effectively communicate meaningful patterns in groundwater plume behavior. The Ricker Method® was used to evaluate fate and transport of PFAS compounds for multiple PFAS remediation sites. Each of the sites had at least five years of historical data available for analysis and no active remediation had been conducted. This allowed for the evaluation of PFAS plume behavior under natural conditions. In additional to evaluating plume behavior for numerous PFAS compounds (e.g., PFOS, PFOA, etc.) in terms of plume area, average concentration, mass, and center of mass, spatial changes in each plume were evaluated using the Spatial Change Indicator™ (SCI) analysis. This powerful tool provides detailed insight into specific parts of a plume. It can demonstrate mass movement with the plume, inform remediation strategy optimization, identify potential sources, and illustrate how the plume is reacting to natural and engineered environmental conditions at a remediation site. Evaluating PFAS plumes using Groundwater Plume Analytics® tools has resulted in a better understanding of behavior of PFAS plumes under natural conditions. The results of at least two case studies will be presented. Results from multiple studies like this can provide an empirical basis for understanding PFAS plume behavior which can be leveraged in the development of predictive PFAS fate and transport models.
Mr. Ricker has 30 years of experience and is a subject matter expert in groundwater data analytics. He is the author of the Ricker Method® Plume Stability Analysis and has co-authored three U.S. patents related to groundwater plume analytics. Mr. Ricker is a licensed Professional Engineer in 28 states including Florida. He received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and a M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Memphis.
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