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TTP#:
SR1-6-C221; Tech ID: 2921
Project
Overview
The cone penetrometer is a rapid, cost-effective tool for environmental
site characterization in many geologic environments. Many innovative
sensors and probes for use with the cone penetrometer are under
development by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science
and Technology, other DOE programs, the U.S. Department of Defense,
the Environmental Protection Agency, other government agencies,
and commercial vendors. This task will collect critical performance
and cost data that should facilitate timely transfer of cone penetrometer
sensors to Emergency Management (EM) 40. The activities funded this
fiscal year will address the high priority EM-40 need for detection
of subsurface Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) contamination.
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Technology
Description
For many site characterization needs, direct push techniques
are favored over conventional drilling activities due to cost, schedule,
environmental, or safety issues. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Site Characterization and Analysis Penetrometer System (SCAPS) truck
is currently located at the Savannah River Site (SRS) and for the
last several years has been used primarily for the evaluation and
demonstration of innovative samplers and sensors designed for use
with a Cone Penetrometer Truck (CPT). In order to assess the performance
of new technologies, especially those that address difficult characterization
problems, systematic testing under progressively more challenging
conditions is often required. Field-testing is the only way to effectively
test the performance of technologies in a variety of hydrogeologic
settings and to develop reliable, comparative unit cost and performance
data. The purpose of the activities funded currently under this
task is to extend the capability of CPT truck-based systems for
the direct, in situ detection of Dense Non-Aqueous Phase liquids
(DNAPLs). During the last several years, multiple sensors have been
developed and tested under this task and have been combined into
a characterization toolbox. The CPT characterization toolbox provides
a relatively robust system for the environmental characterization
of contaminants, including DNAPLs, in real time. The technologies
are evaluated and implemented at Environmental Restoration Waste
sites, and the results are used to address real characterization
needs.
During FY 2000, the following activities are being emphasized:
- DNAPL characterization toolbox technologies will be implemented
at two DOE waste sites that have significant DNAPL characterization
needs, specifically, the Chemical, Metals, and Pesticide Pits at
the Savannah River Site (SRS) and the 518 Vapor Treatment Facility
at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The DNAPL CPT toolbox
currently includes the following technologies: standard sensors
for lithologic delineation, Laser-Induced Fluorescence probes, Ribbon
Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (NAPL) Sampler, Field Raman Spectrograph,
GeoVis TM Soil Video Imaging System, Science and Engineering Associates,
Inc. (SEA) Cone Permeameter TM , Geoprobe TM Membrane Interface
Probe, and various sediment and groundwater samplers. A subset of
the technologies will be used at each site; the combination of information
from multiple sensors for a given site will be used to target the
site-specific DNAPL characterization problems.
- An innovative method will be developed to determine the concentration
of tritium in soil moisture in the vadose zone. The proposed method
is to extract soil gas and condense the soil water vapor for tritium
analysis. The method will be developed for use with cone-penetrometer
based soil gas extraction modules and for monitoring soil vapor
from wells.
- Technical assistance is being provided to technology vendors
to implement new technologies at SRS. Technical support will be
provided to Applied Research Associates to deploy the Wireline Cone
Penetrometer system at several SRS waste sites.
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