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Point‐of‐entry treatment of petroleum contaminated water supplies
Author(s) -
Malley James P.,
Eliason Pamela A.,
Wagler Jennifer L.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/wer.65.2.4
Subject(s) - environmental science , aeration , contamination , environmental remediation , water quality , water treatment , petroleum , environmental engineering , total organic carbon , raw water , water pollution , activated carbon , waste management , petroleum product , pollutant , environmental chemistry , chemistry , engineering , ecology , adsorption , organic chemistry , biology
Contamination of individual wells in rural areas from leaking petroleum storage tanks poses unique problems for regulatory agencies, utilities, and potentially responsible parties. A potential solution is the use of point‐of‐entry (POE) treatment techniques. Results indicate POE systems using aeration followed by granular activated carbon (GAC) are a viable, cost effective, short‐term solution while ground water remediation is performed or an alternate drinking water supply is secured. Selection and design of POE systems should consider variations in water usage and contaminant concentrations. Iron and manganese did not affect POE system performance at the ten sites studied. However, iron precipitation was observed and may pose problems in some POE applications. Increased concentrations of nonpurgeable dissolved organic carbon consisting primarily of methy‐ t ‐butyl ether (MTBE) and hydrophilic petroleum hydrocarbons were found in the raw waters but did not affect volatile organic chemical (VOC) removals by aeration or GAC. Microbial activity as measured by heterotrophic plate count significantly increased through four of the ten POE systems studied. Reliability of the POE systems will best be achieved by specifying top quality system components, educating POE users, and providing routine maintenance and VOC monitoring.