Methodology for the detection of contamination by hydrocarbons and further soil sampling for volatile and semi-volatile organic enrichment in former petrol stations, SE Spain

Abstract

The optimal detection and quantification of contamination plumes in soil and groundwater by petroleum organic compounds, gasoline and diesel, is critical for the reclamation of hydrocarbons contaminated soil at petrol stations. Through this study it has been achieved a sampling stage optimization in these scenarios by means of the location of potential contamination areas before sampling with the application of the 2D electrical resistivity tomography method, a geophysical non destructive technique based on resistivity measurements in soils. After the detection of hydrocarbons contaminated areas, boreholes with continuous coring were performed in a petrol station located in Murcia Region (Spain). The drillholes reached depths down to 10 m and soil samples were taken from each meter of the drilling. The optimization in the soil samples handling and storage, for both volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds determinations, was achieved by designing a soil sampler to minimize volatilization losses and in order to avoid the manual contact with the environmental samples during the sampling. The preservation of soil samples was performed according to Europe regulations and US Environmental Protection Agency recommendations into two kinds of glass vials. Moreover, it has been taken into account the determination techniques to quantify the hydrocarbon pollution based on Gas Chromatography with different detectors and headspace technique to reach a liquid-gas equilibrium for volatile analyses.

Keywords

• petroleum contaminated soils, petrol stations, soil sampling, electrical resistivity tomography method

References

1. Atekwana, E., Sauck, W., Werkema, D., 2000. Investigations of geoelectrical signatures at a hydrocarbon contaminated site. Journal of Applied Geophysics, 44, 167-180.
2. Bernard, J., 2003. Short note on the depth of investigation of electrical methods. IRIS Instruments, Orléans. Francia. 8 pp.
3. Campbell, D., Lucius, J., Ellefsen, K., Deszcz-Pan, M., 1996. Monitoring of a controlled LNAPL spill using ground-penetrating radar. In Proceedings of the Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems (SAGEEP 1996) (pp. 511-517). Keystone.
4. Daniels, J., Roberts, R., Vendl, M., 1992. Site studies of ground penetrating radar for monitoring petroleum product contaminants. In Proceedings of the Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems (SAGEEP’92) (pp. 597-609). Oakbrook.
5. Delaney, A., Peapples, P., Arcone, S., 2001. Electrical resistivity of frozen and petroleum-contaminated fine-grained soil. Cold Regions Science and Technology, 32, 107-119.
6. Endres, A., & Greenhouse, J., (1996). Detection and monitoring of chlorinated solvent contamination by thermal neutron logging. Groundwater, 34, 283-292.
7. King, T. V. & Olhoeft, G., 1989. Mapping organic contamination by detection of clay organic processes. In Proceedings AGWSE/NWWA/API, Conference on Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Ground Water-Prevention, Detection and Restoration (pp. 627-640). Published in CD format.
8. Loke, M. & Barker R., 1996. Practical techniques for 3D resistivity surveys and data inversion. Geophysical Prospecting, 44, 499-523.

9. López A., Locke, M., Fanton, F., Rubí, E., 2009.Técnicas prácticas para investigación de resistividad en dos y tres dimensiones (Tomografía Eléctrica 2D y 3D). http://www.geoelectrical.com/Articulo.
10. Martínez-Pagan, P., 2006. Aplicación de diferentes técnicas no destructivas de prospección geofísica a problemas relacionados con contaminación ambiental producida por diferentes actividades antrópicas en la Región de Murcia. Doctoral Thesis. Technical University of Cartagena. 476 pp.
11. Park, C. B.,Ivanov, J.,Miller, R.D., Xia, J., Ryden, N., 2001. Seismic investigation of pavements by MASW method –geophone. In Proceedings of the Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Engineering and Environmental Problems (SAGEEP 2001). RBA-6. Denver-Colorado.
12. Park, S., 2001. Site Investigation Technology of Contaminated Soil and Groundwater. Journal of Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers, 43(6), 45-23.
13. Sauck W., Atekwana E., Nash M., 1998. Elevated conductivities associated with LNAPL plume imaged by integrated geophysical techniques. Journal of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, 2 , 203-212.
14. Serrano, A. and Gallego, M., 2006. Sorption study of 25 volatile organic compounds in several Mediterranean soils using headspacegas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography A, 1118, 261-270
15. US Enviromental Protection Agency (US EPA) 5000 method., 1996. Sample preparation for volatile organic compounds. http://www.epa.gov/
16. Werkema, D., Atekwana, E., Endres, A., Sauck, W. Cassidy, D., 2003. Investigating the geoelectrical response of hydrocarbon contamination undergoing biodegradation. Geophysical Research Letters 30 (12), 1647.