Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Soil Contamination and Regulatory Framework

• Common contaminants: petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals, solvents, pesticides.

• Fate and transport of contaminants in the subsurface.

• Key regulations and guidelines for contaminated land management.

• Exercise: Identifying potential contamination sources at a historical industrial site.

Module 2: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA)

• Conducting historical reviews: aerial photographs, city directories, regulatory records.

• Site reconnaissance: identifying stains, odors, distressed vegetation, and waste materials.

• Interviewing past and present site owners, operators, and occupants.

• Workshop: Preparing a Phase I ESA report for a case study property.

Module 3: Site Characterization and Phase II ESA

• Developing a dynamic sampling and analysis plan (SAP).

• Drilling methods: hollow-stem auger, direct push technology, and sonic drilling.

• Field screening techniques: photoionization detectors (PIDs), X-ray fluorescence (XRF).

• Exercise: Designing a Phase II ESA work plan including sampling locations and parameters.

Module 4: Soil and Groundwater Sampling Techniques

• Proper procedures for collecting representative soil samples.

• Installation and development of groundwater monitoring wells.

• Sample preservation, handling, and chain-of-custody protocols.

• Workshop: Hands-on session on soil sampling and well development.

Module 5: Data Analysis and Conceptual Site Model (CSM) Development

• Interpreting laboratory data and preparing data summary tables.

• Defining source areas, contamination plumes, and potential receptors.

• Developing 2D and 3D visualizations of subsurface contamination.

• Case Study: Developing a CSM for a site with solvent contamination in groundwater.

Module 6: Risk-Based Corrective Action (RBCA) and Regulatory Closure

• Principles of human health and ecological risk assessment.

• Calculating site-specific target levels (SSTLs) based on future land use.

• Strategies for achieving regulatory closure: compliance monitoring and long-term stewardship.

• Exercise: Calculating risk-based screening levels for a residential vs. industrial scenario.

Module 7: Soil Remediation Technologies - Ex-Situ Methods

• Excavation and off-site disposal: logistics, cost estimation, and verification.

• Soil washing: principles, applicability, and limitations.

• Thermal desorption: low-temperature and high-temperature systems for VOC removal.

• Workshop: Comparing costs and effectiveness of ex-situ treatment options.

Module 8: Soil Remediation Technologies - In-Situ Methods

• Soil Vapor Extraction (SVE) and Air Sparging for VOC contamination.

• In-Situ Chemical Oxidation (ISCO) and In-Situ Chemical Reduction (ISCR).

• Bioremediation: biostimulation and bioaugmentation strategies.

• Case Study: Selecting an in-situ technology for a diesel fuel spill.

Module 9: Remediation System Design and Implementation

• Pilot-scale testing and treatability studies.

• Designing a full-scale remediation system: calculations and specifications.

• Contractor selection, implementation oversight, and health and safety plans.

Module 10: Remediation System Monitoring, Optimization, and Closure

• Performance monitoring: parameters, frequency, and data evaluation.

• System optimization based on monitoring results to reduce costs and time.

• Preparing closure reports and demonstrating attainment of cleanup goals.

• Final Project: Developing a remedial action plan (RAP) for a complex site, including technology selection, design basis, and monitoring strategy.