Development of site–specific groundwater model and modeling of chlorinated solvent dispersion into groundwater around industrial site : –Evaluation of current and future contamination spread

One of the Government's environmental quality objectives is to achieve a poison free environment, meaning that the presence of anthropogenic substances in the environment should not pose a threat to human health or biodiversity. Such a substance is chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons which have been used historically in dry cleaning and as degreasing agents within industrial processes. In recent years, negative effects on human health have been found since exposure to chlorinated solvents is associated with toxic and carcinogen effects, which has resulted in constrictions against such substances today.At the former Whirlpool industry in Himmelstalund, in Norrköping, the chlorinated solvents perchlorethylene (PCE) and trichlorethylene (TCE) have been used historically during production. Concentrations of PCE and TCE and their degradation products cis–1,2–dichloroethylene (cis–1,2–DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC) have been detected in groundwater at the site. This Master´s thesis aimed to develop a site–specific groundwater flow model and a mass transport model to simulate the spread of these compounds through the saturated zone after 10, 30 and 75 years. The groundwater model was developed in MODFLOW and calibrated based on known hydrological and geological conditions after which a sensitivity analysis was performed regarding hydraulic conductivity and effective porosity. It was found that the flow model generated flows which corresponded to measured ones when hydraulic conductivity was employed within the range 10–5–10–2 m/s and effective porosity in the range 5–25%.It was found that PCE, TCE and cis–1,2–DCE did not reach the surface water recipient Motala river within 75 years, the compounds traveled 500 meters west of the source zone as furthest. However, VC reached Motala river within ten years, depending on which initial concentration were applied. The plume of VC remained in the aquifer after 75 years containing concentrations exceeding the guideline values in groundwater. This is considered severe since chlorinated solvents are toxic and cancerogenic to humans.A sensitivity analysis with regard to adsorption and reaction parameters was performed where it was found that the adsorption greatly affected the spread of the plumes and was more influencing than how the reaction parameters were applied. When maximum adsorption was employed, PCE, TCE and cis–1,2–DCE remained adjacent to the source zone while VC moved about 500 meters. It was seen that the mobile properties of the compounds were considerably larger for all components when minimal adsorption was applied. Hydraulic conductivity had a major impact on transport times where higher hydraulic conductivity resulted in faster transportation through the aquifer.As the spread through the aquifer was largely affected by which parameters were chosen, it was assessed relevant to measure hydraulic conductivity, adsorption constants and measure groundwater levels in more points spread in the model area in order to improve the reliability of the mass transport model