Model Helps Screen Remediation Alternatives at MGP Site

Ferdi L. Hellweger, M. Gallucci, A. Jain, Devanshi K. Jackson, Ying Yi and Barry J. Cheney

A remedial investigation/feasibility study is currently ongoing for a former manufactured gas plant (MGP) site. The site is located in Newburgh, New York on the tidal Lower Hudson River. Sediments immediately adjacent the property contain elevated concentrations of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). To study the fate and transport of PAHs at the site, under various management alternatives (i.e. natural attenuation, capping, dredging) a model (Model for the Assessment and Remediation of Sediments, MARS) was applied to the site. The model extends over a large portion of the Lower Hudson River from Troy, New York to Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. The spatial resolution (grid box size) in the immediate site vicinity is about 50 m. The dispersion of the model is tested by simulating a tracer release and comparing model computed concentrations to data. The resuspension characteristics of the sediments were measured using field resuspension apparatus (“Shaker”). The model was used to simulate the effects of several remediation alternatives. The model simulations were useful in three ways. (1) The model was able to screen remediation scenarios by comparing their relative effectiveness. (2) The model was able to screen remediation scenarios by comparing their effectiveness against the remediation objectives (i.e. criteria). (3) The model illustrated the relationship between various processes (e.g. groundwater flow) and PAH sediment concentrations.

View the poster (ZIPPED PDF, 1.1 MB)

Presented:

May 12-14, 2003
A Workshop on In-situ Contaminated Sediment Capping
Hosted by EPRI, U.S. Environmental Protection Agencyy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Navy
University of Cincinnati, Ohio