Contaminant Fate and Transport Modeling

Development of a conceptual site model is key to creating a sound strategy to address environmental issues in soil and ground water. Our goal in the use of modeling is to provide a comprehensive and cohesive conceptual site model to aid your business in making sound environmental decisions. While it’s fairly easy to get a model to calibrate, the true value lies in whether that model reflects reality, and that’s where our experience and expertise comes in.

Contaminant fate and transport modeling provides a mechanism to synthesize the various environmental characteristics and parameters for a site to develop a robust conceptual site model.  The model can be used to understand a site’s history, as well as forecast the impact of various remediation approaches or water-supply options. However, the value of mathematical and visual models is limited or misleading without the technical foundation needed to ensure accuracy, and the business acumen required to interpret and act on the insights they provide.

Understanding a contaminant’s migration path in soil or ground water is difficult; even more so if multiple sedimentary layers or bedrock is involved. We have used 2D and 3D ground-water flow and ground-water particle tracking and solute transport models to define flow paths, aquifer connectivity, lateral and vertical plume extents, and predictive simulations to ensure potential receptors (wells, lakes, and buildings) are not threatened.

Antea Group has applied transport models in porous media and fractured rock. These sites have had just a single impacted aquifer, or multiple aquifers with complex vertical and lateral connections and flow paths. Chemical transport assessment and modeling has addressed the migration and degradation of BTEX, MTBE, Chlorinated VOCs, Perfluorocarbons (PFCs), metals and pesticides, and been used to demonstrate dissolved-phase plume stability.

Unsaturated zone fate and transport modeling of petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated VOCs has been used to assess the potential impact on ground water. Leaching models, such as VLEACH and SESOIL, have been used effectively to ensure chemicals of concern (COCs) will not adversely impact the ground water or threaten a potential receptor.

Fate and transport modeling has also been successfully performed to assess the migration of LNAPL and ensure it is not threatening wells or waterways, and to estimate recoverability. Events such as catastrophic releases from an AST and migration to a river have been modeled, but often modeling of LNAPL transport is related to estimating recoverability or plume stability. Modeling of LNAPL plume stability is often conducted to support and document a regulatory closure request.

Antea Group has the expertise to create the right model for the conditions at the site to solve environmental concerns and meet your business goals.   .