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NICOLE

NICOLE Network Meeting on 14 and 15 November 2001Hosted by the Port of Rotterdam

Co-sponsored byRoyal Vopak and

SKB (the Centre for Soil Quality Management and Knowledge Transfer)

Co-convened byNNAGS, the Network on Natural Attenuation in Groundwater and Soil

Freek van Arkel©

REPORT OF THE NICOLE WORKSHOP: Information Communication Technologies / MNA 14-15 November 2001, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

REPORT OF THE NICOLE WORKSHOP: Informationand Communication Technologies for Sustainable LandManagement, and Monitored Natural Attenuation. 14 –15 November 2001, Port of Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Paul Bardos, r3 Environmental Technology Limited, with a contributionfrom Anja Sinke, TNO, the Netherlands.

Contents

1 INTRODUCTION 3

2 MEETING CONCLUSIONS 3

2.1 INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES 32.2 MONITORED NATURAL ATTENUATION 4

3 BACKGROUND 4

4 PROCEEDINGS 8

4.1 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE LAND MANAGEMENT 84.2 MONITORED NATURAL ATTENUATION SESSION 224.3 RESULTS OF A “THOUGHT EXPERIMENT” INVESTIGATING THE RANGE OF VIEWS ON THE USEFULNESS OF

MNA FOR A SERIES OF CASE STUDIES. 37

ANNEX 1 DELEGATE LIST 40


1 Introduction

NICOLE held two workshop sessions on contaminated land management over November 14th to 15th

2001 in Rotterdam. The first session considered information and communication technologies (ICT)used in contaminated land management. The second was on monitored natural attenuation (MNA)and was co-convened with the Network for Natural Attenuation in Groundwater and Soils (NNAGS).

This report is structured as follows:• General meeting conclusions• Background to the meeting• Proceedings (review of presented papers).

I.e. the conclusions have been brought forward in the order of sections.

2 Meeting Conclusions

2.1 Information communication technologies

Information communication technologies are a valuable tool for sustainable land management. Theworkshop heard several presentations from developers and NICOLE industry members, underliningthe great interest in these technologies in the contaminated land sector. It is important to understandthe value of different levels of information. Basic data and individual points of information, no matterhow voluminous, provide little assistance to decision makers. This information is in a way static, ithas been reported and is historical in context. The information, or knowledge, of greatest value todecision makers is the interpretation of the static information and how it changes over time. Adecision maker needs a dynamic understanding of the system in question, and the ability to makereliable predictions about its likely behaviour in the future. Furthermore, this interpretation has to beprovided in a way that is meaningful to its recipients. The interpretation process adds expertise.However, it needs to be cognisant of whom the recipient is, and about what the recipient wants toknow.

An important consideration in handling what can be very sensitive interpretations about environmentalquality, is how to communicate the notions of risk and uncertainty. It can be beneficial tocommunicate what is known of possible risks, even worst case scenarios, because it reduces therecipients’ uncertainty about what might happen.

The ICT session heard of impressive results from the use of GIS to render enormous volumes of dataand information both accessible and interpretable. For example, the Port of Rotterdam’sSOQUAMAS system consolidates data collected over the past ten years for more than 700 sites. If thehard copy reports were stacked one of top of each other, they would reach a height of 90 metres! GIScan be used to provide a quick snapshot of current site problems for a variety of stakeholders,including nonspecialists, and assists specialists in conceptualising sites and determining pollutantlinkages. The from Sweden GISsa system was an example of the linkage of a GIS to costoptimisation, another important application. A presentation from ICI and Komex demonstrated thevalue of GIS in developing site conceptual models, data management and explaining contaminatedland management issues to decision-makers. The SENSPOL network highlighted a number ofemerging and near market applications of sensor technologies to contaminated land investigation.However, faster progress could be made if greater financial support for the commercialisation of thesetechnologies could be made available.

The ICT session also considered the use of “fuzzy” logic for optimising site sampling strategies, andthe use of sensors for rapid and low cost site monitoring. Many NICOLE members see great scope for


these techniques for increasing the value for money of site investigation projects, although bothtechniques are still in their infancy and have some technical question marks about them as yet.

2.2 Monitored Natural Attenuation

NICOLE has invested heavily over the past five years in helping establish a firm science base for theuse of MNA in contaminated site management, and transferring knowledge about MNA to thecontaminated land community in Europe. This collaborative event between NICOLE and NNAGSwas judged to be a great success with 130 delegates registered. MNA has a large part to play in thesolution for contaminated sites, often in conjunction with other source control/management techniques

In the overall context of risk-based land management (RBLM - defined on page 35), adopting MNAas a whole or part remedial solution has attractions for:• economic / cost benefit reasons;• sustainability reasons;• minimal disruption; and• reducing on-going pollution.

The key points that emerged from this session were that:

• Just like all other remedial approaches, MNA is not a “magic dust” which can be easily applied asan instant cure. NA is both part of risk assessment, and part of risk reduction. When NA processesare understood, they can be included in risk assessments of sites. MNA can often be part of a solution,used in conjunction with more invasive techniques.

• There is plenty of science in NA, and research issues remain. However a lot is known, andprocesses at many sites can be evaluated on the basis of current knowledge, provided that good fielddata is collected and qualified scientists used to interpret it. For all but the standard cases such aspetrol stations, site specific interpretations are still needed.

• Two new FP5 projects will include significant NA research, and be based on field investigationsof real sites. CORONA (contact [email protected]) will investigate 6 plumes across Europe,• while WELCOME (contact [email protected]) will look at the issues of three megasites.

• The Framework Water Directive will require a more holistic approach to catchment and watermanagement. The timetable for its implementation is not as generous as it might appear.

A small survey was carried out over the last quarter of 2001, investigating attitudes to and experienceof MNA among NICOLE members. Interim findings presented at the NICOLE workshop indicatethat, of the 20 responses received, confidence in MNA was greatest for hydrocarbon contaminatedsites. For these sites MNA is seen as very worthy of consideration. Confidence in MNA was not asgreat for contamination arising from metals, nitro-aromatics. This NICOLE survey of MNA attitudesand expertise was considered valuable by many delegates. Reactions were uniformly positive. Basingthe cases on “real” sites greatly enhanced the practical value of the survey.

3 Background

NICOLE supports two workshops a year and produces a meeting report for each. Past events andfuture workshops are listed in Table 1. Further information, for example reports or registration forms,


are available on the NICOLE web site: www.nicole.org. This report provides an outline of thediscussions and presentations which took place at the workshop.

ICT can help contaminated land decision making to be more effective. For example, GeographicalInformation Systems (GIS) can be used to store data and to help visualise data. Combined withgeostatistical analyses, they can be used to interpret and extrapolate data, and to make suggestions, forexample for most effective further sampling. GIS can be combined with decision support, for exampleto help decide where remediation work might have the most impact. There are a wide range ofdecision support tools available. An exciting development is support for decision making in real time,for example determining site management actions on the basis of specific analytical results. Inparticular, combining soil screening techniques with ICT applications may be a route to more rapidappraisal of the quality of both soil and groundwater. The workshop provided an overview of thecurrent state of the art and emerging ICT developments. Presentations illustrated the use of ICT in siteassessment, site investigation and data management at large industrial sites.

Table 1: Recent and Forthcoming NICOLE Events and Publications

Date Event / Report

18 – 19 April 2002 NICOLE workshop on Site Characterisation, Pisa, Italy: The focus of the Pisa is toexplore possibilities for reducing site investigation costs, and enhance the quality ofsite investigation information.

14-15 November2001

Workshop on ICT/Computing applied to contaminated landcharacterisation/remediation and MNA, Rotterdam, the Netherlands (Port ofRotterdam) in conjunction with the Network on Natural Attenuation in Groundwaterand Soil (NNAGS).

October 2001 NICOLE News 2001 issue, Web link: www.nicole.org Information Gateway: NICOLENews Service – Announcement 171

17-18 May 2001 Report of the NICOLE workshop: Cost-effective clean-up technology; qualityassurance and acceptance , Paris, France. Web link: www.nicole.org InformationGateway: NICOLE New Service – Announcement 167 and Land Contamination andReclamation 9 (4) 377-395

January 2001 Special Issue of Land Contamination and Reclamation, outlining NICOLE andCLARINET work, www.nicole.org and www.btInternet.com/~epppublications/

Land Contamination and Reclamation 9 (1)

9 and 10 November2000

Report of the NICOLE workshop: Brownfields: How to Change a Potential Threatinto an Asset, IJmuiden, The Netherlands. Web link: www.nicole.org Informationgateway: NICOLE News Service – Announcement 131 and Land Contamination andReclamation 9 (2) 252 – 256

October 2000 NICOLE News 2000 issue, Web link: www.nicole.org Information gateway: NICOLENews Service – Announcement 120

September 2000 Joint Statement of NICOLE, CLARINET, ETCA and SENSPOL: SustainableManagement of Contaminated Land for the Protection of Water Resources, Web link:www.nicole.org Information gateway: NICOLE News Service – Announcement 112

21-23 June 2000 EU Workshop on The Protection of European Water, Resources, Contaminated Sites,Landfills and Sediments, Venice. Web link: www.etcanet.org/

22-23 May 2000 Report of the NICOLE Workshop: Source Management, Helsinki, Web link:www.nicole.org Information gateway: NICOLE News Service – Announcement 121Land Contamination and Reclamation 8 (4) 67 – 68.


At the joint NICOLE/CLARINET training event two and a half years ago in Copenhagen1, MNA wasconsidered to be a viable option for dealing with contamination plumes. Nevertheless, doubts existedthen about the technical performance of MNA under different circumstances and the long time frameneeded. Since then a lot of further development has taken place. The 2001 workshop sought toaddress how the results of the research activities and field work over the last two and a half years haddeveloped confidence in MNA.

The workshop began with a series of presentations from NNAGS and SKB outlining the current stateof knowledge, and in particular highlighting the advances that have taken place since Copenhagen. Itconcluded with a discussion of the interim results of a NICOLE survey of attitudes to and experienceof natural attenuation amongst its membership, and that of NNAGS delegates at this meeting.

Acknowledgements

NICOLE gratefully acknowledges the support for this workshop given by the Port of Rotterdam,Royal Vopak and SKB (the Dutch Centre for Soil Quality Management and Knowledge Transfer) andthe hard work of Lida Schelwald and Willem van Hattem (Port of Rotterdam), Thijs Aarten and hissuccessor Marc van Gijzel (Vopak), Anja Sinke (TNO), Bert Satijn (SKB) and Steve Thornton(NNAGS) in planning and organising the sessions and the meeting.

1 Web link: www.nicole.org, Information Gateway, Publications, 1999 Training Course on Natural Attenuation


NICOLE (Network for Contaminated Land in Europe) was set up in 1995 as a result of theCEFIC “SUSTECH” programme which promotes co-operation between industry andacademia on the development of sustainable technologies. NICOLE is the principal forumthat European business uses to develop and influence the state of the art in contaminatedland management in Europe. NICOLE was created to bring together problem holders andresearchers throughout Europe who are interested in all aspects of contaminated land. It isopen to public and private sector organisations. NICOLE was initiated as a ConcertedAction within the European Commission’s Environment and Climate RTD Programme in1996. It has been self-funding since February 1999.

NICOLE’s overall objectives are to:

• Provide a European forum for the dissemination and exchange of knowledge and ideas aboutcontaminated land arising from industrial and commercial activities;

• Identify research needs and promote collaborative research that will enable European industry toidentify, assess and manage contaminated sites more efficiently and cost-effectively; and

• Collaborate with other international networks inside and outside Europe and encompass the views of awide a range of interest groups and stakeholders (for example, land developers, local/regional authoritiesand the insurance/financial investment community).

NICOLE currently has 128 members. Membership fees are used to support and further the aims of thenetwork, including: technical exchanges, network conferences, special interest meetings, brokerage ofresearch and research contacts and information dissemination via a web site, newsletter and journalpublications. NICOLE includes an Industry Subgroup (ISG) – with 30 members; a Service ProvidersSubgroup (SPG) with 19 members; 63 individual members from the academic sector/research community;and 16 members from other organisations, including research planners, non-profit making organisations,other networks, funding organisations. Some members are involved in both the ISG and the SPG. Forfurther general information, further meeting reports, network information and links to contaminated landrelated web sites, please visit NICOLE's web site: www.nicole.org

Membership fees are currently 3,500 EURO per year for companies, and 150 EURO per year for academicinstitutions. For membership requests please contact:

Ms Marjan EuserSecretariat NICOLEC/o TNO MEPPO Box 3427300 AH ApeldoornThe Netherlands

Tel: + 31 55 5493 927Fax: +31 55 5493 231

E-mail : [email protected]


4 Proceedings

4.1 Information and Communication Technologies for Sustainable LandManagement

Overview of Future ICT developments, Dory van Welsen, TNO, The Netherlands

Contaminated land problems can be enormously complex from a physical and chemical perspective.However, this complexity is further compounded by the economic and social context of a site,particularly for a large site and operation like the Port of Rotterdam (PoR).

The PoR Region employs a multi-layered system for decision making, that needs to encompass:geology, environmental policy, legal conditions, administration, the density of different land uses, thelong history of land use, business relationships, ambition levels and the population density. The PoRhas set itself challenging objectives for the future to:• remain the market leader• remain an attractive business location• maintain a strong economy and high quality of life• balance economic development against local ecological needs• maintain its dynamism• ensure that development is sustainable

A range of factors affect the PoR’s contaminated land policy: legal conditions, liabilities, competition.A particular problem in the PoR Regions is that land occupants and land uses can change rapidly.Where land is contaminated this necessitates a rapid and intense response as future owners do not wantto take on liabilities from the past. These responses are not necessarily optimal solutions fromenvironmental, economic or societal stand points. Longer term and lower input treatments appear tobe better treatments, but are likely to stretch over several different occupancies. Perhaps in the futuresome kind of economic arrangement will be possible to allow a remediation strategy to continuethrough multiple occupancies, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1 The Role of Remediation in Contaminated Land Transactions


In the PoR groundwater is a major resource requiring protection, but it is also a vector ofcontamination and is not confined to individual property barriers. The spread of contamination ingroundwater can negate the immediate benefits of rapid responses to individual site problems. This isa further reason why a more strategic or longer term view of remediation might be beneficial to thelocal economy as a whole. However, the possibility of working together to produce a commonapproach is sometimes limited by:

• a lack of awareness of common problems• lack of sense of urgency• the public versus the private role of the PoR• PoR’s interests specifically as a landlord• that stakeholders perceive constraints ahead of opportunities• that information is not accessible for all and indeed there is no basis for information sharing.

Van Welsen sees ICT as a tool that can provide a common basis for information sharing. ICT, forexample mapping all relevant data to a GIS, makes information more transparent, develops a structurefor information and makes linkages between information more open. GIS can also include derivedconclusions, for example risk mapping. More radically she suggests that GIS can support afundamental shift from private to shared information. The Internet provides an ideal opportunity topromote shared information.

Fuzzy Adaptive Partitioning Approach to Site Characterisation, Linet Ozdamar andMelek Demirhan,Yeditepe University, Turkey

A series of modelling trials have been carried out, supported e.g. within the PURE project, toinvestigate the application of the “Fuzzy Adaptive Partitioning Approach in Site Characterisation”(FASA) The aim of using FASA is to make more efficient use of available data, so reducing samplingand analytical costs, while accurately delineating areas of contamination.

The FASA works by dividing the site into smaller sub-regions. It assesses the clusters of samplesfalling into these smaller sub-regions. In order to use the sample information most efficiently, thepartitions generated are permitted to overlap. In this manner, a sample contributes to the assessmentof more than one cluster at a time, which is the basis for the efficient utilisation of information.Partitioning is set out using “fuzzy” variables as a means dealing with random errors in data andincluding data manipulations. Each sample is assigned a membership for belonging to a contaminatedzone with “fuzzy” boundaries. Each cluster of samples within a partition is evaluated using a fuzzyaggregate measure which utilises sample membership values and represents the potential of thepartition to contain contaminated zones. Each partition whose aggregate measure value indicates nosuch potential is discarded.

In order to verify the resulting distribution topology, FASA is executed multiple times, and in eachrun the extent of overlap among twin partitions is changed systematically. Hence, the site is assessedin multiple passes. The same sample can belong to different clusters of samples as the overlap extentvaries. Consequently, the relative fuzzy aggregate measure which guides the assessment processchanges accordingly. FASA finds a consensus on the topology of contamination. Expert opinion andpre-existing data can be included in sample membership values2. If the opinion is supported byevidence from sample’s concentration values, the membership value is increased. If the opinion is notsupported, the influence of the opinion on the membership value is decreased.

2 Demirhan Ozdamar, Integration of expert knowledge in the direction of peaks, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, 31,2001


A sampling scheme based on FASA would be as follows:a. The site is initially divided into grids.b. A sample is collected from each grid. Its location within the grid may be random or pre- determined.c. FASA is executed on this set of data and the final topology resulting from the union of maps relatedto different overlap extension rates is stored.d. An additional sample is collected from each grid and FASA is re-executed.e. The information value, infk, of the last sampling iteration is calculated:

|Areak -Areak-1 | / Areak-1

infk = ______________________________

(# of obsk - # of obsk-1 ) / # of obsk-1

where k: sampling iteration index, Areak: area covered in iteration k, AND # of obsk: number ofsamples utilised in iteration k.

infk represents added topological information per sample. When infk decreases with k, then furthersampling does not seem cost efficient. Therefore, it is practical to stop the iterations when infk exhibitsa sharp fall

An initial test of the FASA approach has been carried out on data collected from an Italian industrialsite. The test work was carried out on a “blind” basis, in that the site owner restricted the siteinvestigation data provided at each iteration of the FASA tool. The full data set included 298 samplelocations, taken in a grid pattern of 25m squares. The site area is 821,750m2. Analytical data at 46 ofthe sample locations indicated significant contamination. A series of seven iterations were carried out,with the final being use of the full data set. Four of these iterations are illustrated in Figure 2. Figure3 plots information values against the number of sample iterations. Figure 3 indicates that after sixiterations, the “information value” bought by further data had fallen to close to zero. Hence, accordingto FASA, the 225 data points represents the most efficient data set, identifying 97% of the area knownto be contaminated. The researchers concluded that if this level of information was agreed to besufficient, some 25% of sampling and analytical costs could have been avoided.

In practical use the researchers see FASA being applied in a multistage approach linking data fromlimited intrusive sampling and rapid screening techniques to optimise future site investigation stages.

The FASA approach provoked some discussion. A number of delegates felt that the technique oughtto be better calibrated against known geostatistical techniques like kriging. Delegates also suggestedthat further work using “real” datasets should be undertaken, and that grid approaches to samplingused for the original dataset is not necessarily likely to be the most efficient means of locatingcontamination themselves. The researchers intend in the near term to carry out further developmentusing virtual data sets, but they would be open to using real data sets, if these could be provided byNICOLE members.


Figure 2: Series of Iterations for 298 Data Points, 46 of which are Contaminated,Corresponding to a Site Area of 821,750 m2

Iteration 1: 53 of 298 data points used, 9 were known tobe contaminated, FASA identified 244,000 m2 ascontaminated which encompassed 41 of the knowncontaminated sample locations.

Iteration 3: 139 of 298 data points used, 17 were knownto be contaminated, FASA identified 194,834 m2 ascontaminated which encompassed 43 of the knowncontaminated sample locations.

Iteration 6: 225 of 298 data points used, 33 were knownto be contaminated, FASA identified 230,668 m2 ascontaminated which encompassed 45 of the knowncontaminated sample locations.

Overall: all 298 data points used, 46 were known to becontaminated, FASA identified 234,232 m2 ascontaminated which encompassed all 46 of the knowncontaminated sample locations.


Figure 3 Information Value Against Number of FASA Iterations

ICT as a Tool for Site Investigation, Susan Alcock, Cranfield University, UK.

This presentation focussed on the use of sensors as tools for pollutant monitoring. It outlined twoEuropean Concerted Actions, one working on biosensor development, and the other on general sensordevelopment. Both encompass contaminated land applications.

Sensor devices can be useful information and communication technologies (ICT) tools for rapid siteassessment and provide information for decision making in sustainable land management. Researchfor on-site investigation is primarily concerned with the development of new chemical sensors andbiosensors to measure chemical analytes or biological effects such as toxicity. In the most recentdevelopments the convergence of sensors with mobile computing and telecommunications is beingaddressed.

The EU Concerted Action BIOSET (Biosensors for Environmental Technologies - 1997-2000)indentified the need for diagnostic tools and investigation tools for risk assessment of industriallycontaminated land, and the requirement to monitor remediation during and after the process. Manyportable devices developed for environmental purposes have reached the field laboratory stage. Aseries of Technical Meetings evaluated the performance of the different biosensor technologies formonitoring surface and waste waters under real-world field conditions. It concluded that biosensorsprovide an excellent early warning system and that they are useful tools for controlling pollution.Moreover, biosensors can provide unique and valuable information on biological effects.

The SENSPOL Thematic Network on ‘Sensors for Monitoring Water Pollution from ContaminatedLand, Landills and Sediment’ brings together European research on sensors for a range of applicationsin environmental monitoring (EU Project No. EVK1-CT-1999-2001). Sensors are being developed foridentification of constraints to contaminated site remediation, for remediation monitoring and control,and for post-closure monitoring. Other sensors can supply useful information for sustainable landmanagement in agriculture. For example, an Isoproturon (IPU) biosensor3 can be utilised for low costsite investigation to establish residual soil concentrations of IPU and hence minimise or avoid furtherapplication of herbicide.

The first SENSPOL Workshop addressed Sensing Technologies for Contaminated Sites andGroundwater and showed that the development of the field of sensing technologies for environmentalmonitoring has advanced considerably. Field deployable and simple-to-use instruments are being 3 Baskeyfield D.E.H., Magan N., Walker A. and Tothill I.E. (2000). proc. Biosensors 2000. The World Congresson Biosensors, San Diego, USA, 24-26 May 2000.

0

1

2

3

4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Number of re-sampling iterations


developed (chloro-organics, BTEX, PAHs, heavy metals) in EU projects such as PURE, WATCH andDIMDESMOTOM. It is believed that within the next five years some of the technical research willtransfer into prototype products for full assessment and evaluation. An example of a recent prototypeis GOLD, an environmental surveillance system based on infrared reflectometry for detecting oilleakage from storage tanks and vessels into sub-surface environments.

Communications systems involving the application of technologies such as fibre optic, infrared andbroadband wireless communication can be harnessed for site investigations. Systems are beingdeveloped to collect and convey information from remote unmanned on-site sensors using mobiletelephone, Internet and e-mail technologies. Sensor communication equipment in this environmentmust remain reliable for sustained operational periods, and effective utilisation of power is animportant design parameter.

In approaches being pursued by several groups, data is relayed to a remote computer system foranalysis and may trigger an alerting system that can enable rapid and appropriate response to apollution incident. A recently developed portable field sensor monitoring system for detectingsubsurface oil leaks contains a signal conditioning unit that converts the sensor signal to a 12-bitdigital output, which is fed to a standard transmission unit that can store data. The standardtransmission unit uses mobile phone technology to transmit at set intervals an SMS (text message) ore-mail encrypted message to a remote computer server. This field device could be adapted forinterrogation in the field by a pocket computer, using a waterproof infrared connection or a wire lead.The portable sensor monitoring system has the advantages of being small with low powerconsumption and is capable of unstaffed operation for several months when used for daily monitoringof eight remote sensors with weekly data transmission. The inbuilt power supply can be supplementedfor extended operation, e.g. with a car battery, if required.

The computer server used for the data processing from remote environmental monitoring systems mayhost a decision support tool. This tool may act on a data from several sets of sensors at the site andother related sites (see Figure 4), as well as the results of different types of site investigations andother pertinent information. The communication with the sensor can be two-way, permitting remotecontrol of in-field monitors so that for example a reading above a certain threshold would trigger morefrequent monitoring. The server can be set up to automatically e-mail an address list, or to put sensordata onto the World Wide Web. Access to site investigation information distributed over the Internetcan be by selected company personnel or a wider group of users, in accordance with the purpose of themonitoring.

Figure 4 Sensor, the Portable Sensor Monitoring System, and an Example of a Download in theField from a Monitoring System to a Laptop.

The Leak Detector Portable Sensor Monitoring System In situ Application with Download toa Laptop


Data management at Large Industrial Sites: GIS and the “Whole Site” Approach, PaulHardisty, Komex, UK and Cyprus; Kelvin Potter, ICI, UK

Environmental assessments often generate large amounts of data, which have almost always beenrelatively costly to collect. Proper data management is crucial to ensure that the maximum benefit isextracted from the data.

The task of data management becomes a particular challenge for large, often multi-occupancyindustrial sites that have had extensive investigation, where the volume of data produced can besignificant. At many of these sites, there may have been several phases of investigation conducted bydifferent consultants, focussing on discrete segments of the site. The consequence is often a series ofreports prepared in various formats held in different offices across a site. This can make sharing ofinformation problematic and result in new consultants having to climb the same learning curve. Moreimportantly, development of an overall environmental strategy for the entire site is often hamperedand can be neglected.

By adopting a “whole site approach”, i.e. looking at a site as a single entity, complex issues can be putinto perspective and become manageable. Priorities for action can then be assigned. GeographicalInformation Systems (GIS) can provide a useful tool for managing data for this purpose. They allowall available data to be stored in one format and in one location with multi-user capability, thusensuring easy access and interpretation of data from the entire site; an important requisite should therebe a need for an urgent assessment e.g. following an accidental spillage.

There are a number of other important benefits in using the “whole site” approach and havingcontaminated land data in a readily accessible format. These include:-

• Providing a basis for convincing regulators and third parties that environmental issues arecharacterised,

• Economy of scale. Only one characterisation of geology/hydrogeology/hydrology is required,• Makes it easier to handle monitoring data and identify/assess changes in subsurface conditions,• Provides a basis for agreeing actions and sharing costs amongst production entities recognising

that contaminants know no boundaries,• Allowing prioritisation of issues at a site by facilitating side-by-side comparison,• Allowing rapid response to issues as they arise – i.e., data can be found quickly when required –

the database can be rapidly searched for the relevant information in the relevant locations,• Allowing integrated and comparative data analysis, by using the data base to run data analysis

(including trend analysis),• Helps facilitate understanding of environmental issues during changes of ownership,• Helps facilitate management if environmental issues related to indemnities for historic

Contamination,• Simplifies handling of IPPC baseline information, and• Aids development of a map showing ground contamination across a site, which can be used to

manage operating activities, e.g. selection of appropriate personal protective equipment whenexcavating on site.

Several factors need to be considered when designing a database to ensure that it will be effective as adata management tool. These include the type and amount of data included, data format, data qualityand accessibility.

The amount and types of data that can be added to a GIS are effectively limitless. Increasing theamount of data can increase the number of uses of a GIS, but has the disadvantage of higher associatedcosts and can make the system less easy to use. The format of existing data can also have an impact


on the cost of a GIS. Data in paper format either has to be manually entered or scanned, both of whichare relatively expensive, compared with data that are already in electronic format.

The quality of data in a database will affect its reliability and usefulness. The quality of data oftenvaries, especially if it has been collated over a large period of time. Poor quality data should either beomitted from the database or the system designed such that the user is made aware of the reliability ofthe data. Additionally, QA/QC procedures should be used during construction and maintenance of aGIS to ensure that the data input is accurate.

Lastly, in order for a GIS to be effective, it must be user friendly. In most cases, the users of the GISwill not be GIS specialists. The selection of a GIS software package that is simple to use and/or canbe modified at the front end to make it user friendly is therefore highly recommended.

Figure 5 is an example of the use of GIS. In this case study a contamination plume had been found tobe entering a river. A monitoring well had been installed near this location. The source was a spillthat had occurred some distance away from the river bank. The pathway by which the plume hadmigrated was not clear. While some of the site was on made ground, the spill area was separated fromthe river by an area of much lower permeability. How the spill had reached the river so quickly wasnot clear until old land drainage schematics were overlaid using a GIS. The pathway was seen to be adrainage channel. Combining this knowledge with an understanding of the distribution of the higherpermeability made ground allowed the remediation to focus on a much smaller area, and provided aclearer indication of where plume monitoring should take place once the drainage route was sealed.GIS overlays, like that illustrated in Figure 5, can be an extremely efficient means of communicatingdecision making knowledge higher up the management chain.

Meeting delegates needed little convincing of the benefits of GIS and several further examples wereprovided. GIS are used for decision making for very large sites “megasites” such as Maghera nearVenice, Italy, and for communication of ideas to regulators and the wider public. A current barrier tothe wider use of GIS is that transfer of data between packages is not always straightforward. It waspointed out that the Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS) in the UKhave prepared a data transfer format. Further information is available on www.ags.org.uk and theOctober 2001 edition of NICOLE News.

Figure 5 Using GIS In Developing Site Conceptual Models

1 Site Plan Showing Spill Location andCritical Impact - Migration RoteUnclear - Might Require SubstantialGeological Investigations

2 GIS overlay of site photo, site planand subsurface drainage - the pathwaybecomes clear

3 GIS overlay including proposedremedial solution


SOQUMAS – The Soil Quality Management System, Willem van Hattem, Port ofRotterdam, The Netherlands

Figure 6: Why Use GIS?

One of the tasks of the Rotterdam Municipal Port Management (RMPM) as owner of and landlord formany sites is dealing with property transactions. RMPM has developed a soil data managementsystem called SOQUMAS (Soil Quality Management System). This supports activities such ascarrying out soil research within the scope of issuance and repossession of sites. Until the initiation ofSOQUMAS the distilling of the key facts from the huge volume of data and reports greatly sloweddecision making. As of July 200, PoR held 2,200 reports, 50,000 borings, and 600,000 analyticalresults. SOQUMAS is capable of presenting the necessary data about the condition of the soil in theport complex in a clear and orderly manner via a PC or work station.

A single click can provide access to the information needed, which saves a lot of time. This isespecially useful when discussing new sites for companies. As manager of the port area, the RMPMneeds constantly updated information about its sites and their economic circumstances. Thanks toSOQUMAS it is now possible to obtain a large scale insight into the contamination situation in theport area. This opens the door to an integrated approach to soil remediation.

SOQUMAS is in the first place an electronic soil data base. It consists of an Oracle database, inwhich administrative data are stored. This is coupled to ArcView, in which geometric data are stored.Using a graphic linking module, compatibility with every GIS platform is possible. Input and outputmodules enable electronic data exchange, as illustration Figure 7. The entire chain from fieldwork tointerpretation of results is computerised, which reduces the risk of making mistakes to a minimum.This improves the quality of the data and makes data management much simpler. The data are alwaysaccessible and access can be managed. Electronic data storage also enables integral interpretation,which is useful for policy and decision making. With a paper archive this is a nearly impossible task.

SOQUMAS provides insight into the soil quality. Conclusions and recommendations from soil reportsare easily retrievable, just like descriptions of the soil structure (lithography) from soil profiles.Furthermore, analytical results from soil and groundwater samples can be compared to relevant normsand standards. Analysed data remain useful, even if the standards change. SOQUMAS may also beused to define priorities. Specific thematic maps can be made based on the needs and wishes of theSOQUMAS user.


Last but certainly not least SOQUMAS has opened the door to integral soil management, therebysupplying the necessary information for policy and decision making. It can, for example, be used fordetermining the possibilities for re-use of soil, and also for determining the feasibility of MNA andother remediation options.

Figure 7 SOQUMAS Architecture

The first stage of SOQUMAS started operating in January 2000. Over the coming years SOQUMASwill be developed further in association with other involved parties.

“GISSa”: A Computer Programme to Support Brownfield Remediation, ChristerEgelstig, JM AB, and Anita Oskarsson, SWECO Position, Sweden

“GISsa” is a GIS designed to support brownfield remediation. The application was developed bySWECO Position in Sweden for the three largest construction companies in the country: JM, NCC andSkanska. To date it has been used in 15 projects.

In GISsa data from geotechnical and environmental investigations are stored, and the results can bedisplayed on maps. Photos and documents can be linked to the map for easy access in a geographicalcontext. Analysis results on soil samples can be imported from the laboratory directly into thedatabase, and the soil is classified according to the site specific guidelines. The results of the soilsample analyses are linked to information on how each volume of soil is transported and treated, asillustrated in Figure 8.

A particular problem for remediation contractors in Stockholm is that the city is largely constructed onfill material, consisting of demolition waste. Elsewhere, the natural soil is often a thin layer (1-2m) ofmoraine over rock but under clay or other sediments. The moraine consists of a mixture of big stonesand fine material – difficult for investigations and all sorts of treatment. The nature of the groundfundamentally limits the applicability of in situ treatment regimes, and places a large reliance onexcavation and removal to landfill. As yet landfill for slightly contaminated materials is untaxed, andso relatively cheap in Sweden. Hence a major application for GISsa is in getting a finer resolutionbetween slightly contaminated soil, which can be disposed of fairly cheaply, and more contaminatedsoil, which requires expensive treatment or landfilling.


Figure 8 Illustration of the Functionality of GISsa

NORISC: The Development of GIS Based Decision Support System for RiskAssessment, Barbara Möhlendick, City of Cologne

NORISC, the Network Oriented Risk assessment by In-situ Screening of Contaminated sites, is an ECfunded project, under the Framework 5 Programme. Key Action: City of Tomorrow and CulturalHeritage (www.norisc.com). The project includes local authority, business and university partnersfrom Germany, Greece, Sweden and Italy. The aim of the project is to develop a decision supporttool, based on GIS, that allows a rapid selection of the optimal sampling and analytical methodologiesfor problem sites. NORISC is particularly intended for the non specialist user, as a tool to helpevaluate and verify the various options that they might be faced with in an objective and reproducibleway.

Figure 9 COSIMA Architecture

The selection process is based on expert knowledge provided by the consortium which is appliedwithin the GIS. The method selection is based on “target” measurands, i.e. the particular item to bemeasured. A register of investigation methods has been compiled for each of a large number of


measurands. The entries are ranked on the basis of evaluations of their cost and their effectivenessaccording to the NORISC team. Methods are selected on the basis of highest scores, i.e. cheapest andmost effective. The NORISC GIS tool has been called COSIMA, and its architecture is illustrated inFigure 9.

The Development of Global Positioning by Satellite and Integrated GIS and CAD as anaid to Ecological Surveying of Brownfield Sites, Malcolm Barton – Groundwork UK

The Groundwork ‘Changing Places’ programme has lasted over 5 years during which time 1000 Ha ofbrownfield land has been reclaimed. It is the result of a successful Round 1 bid to the MillenniumCommission in 1995.

‘Changing Places’ is comprised of 21 individual sites, each being delivered by an individualGroundwork Trust. They are distributed throughout England and Wales and the total programmevalue is a little over £55 million with £22.1 million of this amount being funded by the MillenniumCommission. The aim of ‘Changing Places’ is: “To transform land which has a negative impact onlocal communities into new, positive assets and to celebrate this renewal at the beginning of a newmillennium.”

All the sites in the programme arise from the effects of the first industrial revolution which createdwealth and employment based on primary industries such as coal mining, chemical production, steel-making and supporting infrastructures. It is not surprising therefore that the list of typical sitesincludes:• Abandoned collieries.• Old landfill sites – themselves emanating from previous extractive processes.• Redundant chemical works.• Disused quarries and gravel workings• Canals

Because of the past symbiotic link between the location of industries and the concentration of thosehuman settlements that grew to provide labour, ‘Changing Places’ sites sit ‘cheek by jowl’ with areasof dense human habitation. It has been calculated that as many as 2 million people live within 15minutes travel time to a ‘Changing Places’ project. This means that the sites will operate as vital‘green lungs’ for communities wishing to enjoy their local environment.

The individual projects are delivered within a framework of primary guiding principles. These are thatthe projects will:• involve the community• be delivered in an ecologically informed manner• be designed and executed so that they are capable of enduring

Using a community led, ecologically informed approach the treatment of the land has varied over awide range of techniques depending on the individual circumstances of each site. All the projects areprotected for a period of 99 years offering a unique opportunity for successive generations ofecologists to study how vegetation develops over long time-scales.

The task of surveying the ecology on all these sites using conventional manual techniques presentedthe team at Groundwork with a substantial challenge. The response was to develop new ways toharness modern IT technology to enable the project to be completed in the time available. The resultwas the Groundwork Ecological Monitoring System (GEMS).


The system is an integrated approach to field survey, data recording, interpretation and dissemination.The starting point was a fairly straightforward attempt to mitigate the ecologist’s work-load and at thatlevel the solutions soon flowed in a satisfying manner. Field survey work and data collection wasmodernised by using Global Positioning by Satellite (GPS) instrumentation, shown in Figure 10.1.This allowed vegetation features to be geographically referenced at a sub-metre level of accuracy andmeant that, using the same equipment in a reverse mode, future generations of ecologists would beable to return to exactly the same survey point.

The data recording and interpretation were obvious targets for the application of a geographicalinformation system (GIS) and standard GIS software such as ArcView and MapInfo were considered.Such packages are excellent for geographically referencing mapping and data and the problems allseemed, at this point, to have been resolved. As often happens however, the development soon startedto offer some tantalising options that were just too interesting to be ignored. It was patentlyimpossible to disregard the fact that the ecological survey work had two purposes. One to simplyrecord and the other to inform. Solving the first criterion had been straightforward but the secondproved to be less easy. A primary feature of an ecologically led approach was the transmission of theecologist’s expertise and considered opinions to designers and here was the problem. Designers oflandscape – engineers and architects – do not use GIS as a design environment. Instead they use themore appropriate technology offered by computer aided drafting and design (CADD).

In Groundwork the software most commonly used by Landscape Architects operates within anAutoCad environment and as a result it was decided to use AutoCad Map because of its ability tocombine GIS and CADD. This decision increased the array of problems that had to be solved becauseAutoCad Map did not accept the input from the GPS as readily as more conventional packages but theeffort proved to be well worthwhile.

GEMS is now a fully interactive system that can produce ecological survey reports in the conventionalhard output paper formats of text and scale drawings. More importantly, as digital data it can sitwithin a landscape designers computer system such that ecological information can be interrogated atthe click of a mouse, as illustrated in Figure 10.2. The designer can easily move betweentopographical data and ecological data in a seamless fashion - which greatly facilitates the process ofcreating an informed design.

Most important of all however, through GEMS the ecologist can now be placed well within theframework of the design process – an ideal position from which to guide the ecological developmentof brownfield land.


FIGURE 10 Ecological Surveying System Developed by Groundwork

10.1 The Ecologist and equipment in the field.

10. 2 An example of the AutoCAD output - the coloured areas represent the differentvegetation types. From here the designer can access all the ecologists data and opinions.


4.2 Monitored Natural Attenuation Session

NNAGS, ANCORE and CORONA David Lerner, Groundwater Protection andRestoration Group, University of Sheffield, UK

NNAGS, the Network on Natural Attenuation in Groundwater and Soils has the objectives of:networking researchers, promoting research, internationalising UK research on natural attenuation(NA) and promoting the acceptance of NA. It has been funded by the Engineering and PhysicalSciences Research Council in the UK. It is managed from the University of Sheffield, along withexperts from AEA Technology, the Environment Agency of England and Wales, Geosyntec and Shell.It has delivered a wide range of courses and workshops, as well as maintaining a web site and e-mailnews service. It also hosted the international conference GQ2001. EPSRC funding ends in November2001 after which activities will transfer to the EU network ANCORE.

CORONA (Confidence in forecasting of natural attenuation as a risk-based groundwater remediationstrategy) is a new EC research project funded by the Framework 5 Energy, Environment andSustainable Development (EESD) Programme under Key Action 1 “Sustainable Management andQuality of Water” (KA1). CORONA is based on the premise that the important mass-removalprocess for natural attenuation is biodegradation. CORONA hypothesises that a common pattern ofbiodegradation activity can be found in most groundwater pollution plumes. Certain zones - which theproject terms “the CORONA” - are likely to have better conditions for biodegradation. These zoneswill have more rapid degradation and make a significant contribution to the overall rate of mass lossfor the entire plume. The project identifies two basic scenarios, (1) an active, oxidising fringe to aplume mainly controlled by dispersion, and (2) an anaerobic core controlled by the interplay betweenpollutants, environmental conditions and micro-organisms, illustrated in Figure 11.

CORONA will investigate these scenarios by collecting high resolution data from the coronas at sixdifferent field sites with varying site conditions. Parallel laboratory studies will include a modelplume for analysis of transverse dispersion and detailed study of a corona zone. There will bemicrobiological and microcosm studies in support. Numerical modelling tools will be developed tolink scales and transfer results to non-research sites. We will work with end-users to transfer theresearch results to user-friendly guidelines and models.

CORONA intends to deliver (1) scientific confidence in utilising natural processes as a risk-basedmanagement option, (2) technical guidance, including simple models, guidelines based on typescenarios, and training, and (3) promotion of natural attenuation, when appropriate, as a cost-efficientin situ remediation. CORONA plans a substantial number of scientific papers, a number of workshopsand courses, and integration of the project results into a freely available interactive training package.

Invitation

CORONA will establish a Knowledge Exchange Group with a maximumof 25 people which will meet annually. NICOLE members (site owners,regulators) are invited to join! The benefits of being a KEG-member areaccess to the most up to date information on NA, and regular contactwith other end-users, regulators and experts. The costs will be 1,000Euro/year. If you are interested in the CORONA-project and would liketo take advantage of being a member of the Knowledge Exchange Group(KEG), please contact: Herco van Liere, TNO, [email protected]


Figure 11, Corona Conceptual Model

EC Project WELCOME and Rotterdam as a Case study for Integrated LandManagement, Bert Satijn, SKB and Huub Rijnaarts, TNO-MEP, The Netherlands

WELCOME is an EC funded project focusing on the problems of managing large and complex areasof contaminated land. There are regions over Europe with a high density of industry, for example: seaports, large scale chemical industry complexes, metal mining areas, military complexes, etc. On thesemegasites, soil and groundwater are usually polluted with many different types of pollutants.Complete cleanup within an intermediate timeframe (25 years) is typically not feasible or may even beimpossible for technical and economical reasons. The economic impact of regional remediationproblems is massive, e.g. remediation costs of large-scale projects is estimated at several billionEURO per project.

Given the impending expansion of the EU with the Visegrad countries4, the need for an effectivemanagement approach becomes ever more pressing. The Visegrad countries have a large number ofextremely polluted megasites. The environmental issues at megasites often coincide with socio-economic barriers, which inhibit progress of economic and spatial planning of the region. A positiveinput into socio-economic and landscape development, in the perception of the population or users ofthe area, is often equally important as managing the environmental aspects. In addition, costeffectiveness is a crucial factor underpinning the feasibility of different solutions and approaches.

The overall objective of WELCOME is to produce a decision support tool that can help environmentalmanagers at such megasite to establish an appropriate management approach for land management. Apractical and cost-efficient Integrated Management System (IMS) procedure, based on the extensivescientific research and experience of the past decades. This IMS will be developed and tested at threerepresentative European megasites: Rotterdam/Antwerp, Bitterfeld and Katowice.

4 Accession States and potential Accession States


Rotterdam is a good example of a megasite (see Figure 12). Over an area of 800 km2 there arehundreds of industrial sites, where ground is polluted by all kinds of organic and inorganiccontaminants, differing from site to site. Contaminants are known to migrate from these hot spotstowards the surface water and the deep aquifer. For the Rotterdam case study an inventory onmegasite scale of contaminants will be made. Migration patterns and processes will be studied andmodelled and based on a risk evaluation the options for remedial actions will be categorised. Specialattention will be paid to processes in the deep aquifer (up to 25 m in depth), which are currently onlypoorly understood.

Figure 12 Rotterdam Case Study Area

Effects of concentration and environmental conditions on rates of natural attenuation,Phil Morgan, GeoSyntec Consultants Ltd, UK.

When monitored natural attenuation (MNA) is found to be a viable risk management technique for acontaminated site, it is normally the degradative processes (particularly biodegradation) that make thelargest contribution to the overall performance. Since the degradative processes are, in partconcentration-dependent, it is clear that an understanding of the relationship between contaminantconcentration and the performance of individual of natural attenuation (NA) processes is important inundertaking MNA evaluations and enhancing acceptance of the approach.

UK Investigation of the effects of contaminant concentration on the potential for NATo help better understand and define when MNA may be an appropriate remedial option in the UK,the Environment Agency of England and Wales funded an evaluation of the effects of contaminantconcentration on the rate of NA processes in aquifers in England and Wales. This was designed toassess the viability of extrapolating degradation rate data from overseas sites to UK conditions andbetween apparently similar aquifers. The project was based on a literature review considering:


• 18 common contaminants (selected petroleum hydrocarbons, chlorinated solvents, PAH’s,gasoline additives, pesticides, phenol and inorganic cyanide), and

• 5 NA processes (diffusion, volatilisation, sorption, abiotic degradation and biodegradation).UK aquifers were classified based on the likely importance of these processes under prevailingconditions (see example in Figure 13).

The relative importance of these processes varies. For example, sorption may dominate for certaincontaminants (e.g., benzo(a)pyrene) or may have very little effect (e.g., phenol), regardless ofconcentration. However, for a third group of contaminants (e.g., BTEX compounds) sorption mayitself be dependent upon in situ conditions, particularly the fraction of organic carbon in the aquifer. Itwas noted that factors such as co-solvency, non-equilibrium sorption, sorption to aquifer minerals andthe composition of aquifer organic carbon could lead to errors of up to two orders of magnitude insorption estimates.

Collation and interpretation of biodegradation data collected from the literature demonstrated that arange of contaminant concentrations exists within which biodegradation takes place. However, therates of biodegradation observed were highly variable from site to site. Within the normal range forbiodegradation, it was not possible to determine reproducible correlations between contaminantconcentration and rate. Even between datasets from relatively homogeneous aquifer types, there weremajor variations in reported attenuation rates. Hence, rates reported in the literature for a specificcontaminant and site can only be used as an approximate guide to the likely degradation rate at anothersite with similar conditions. Upper and lower threshold concentrations were defined beyond whichbiodegradation occurs at much slower or negligible rates.

Overall, concentration effects are inconsistent and likely to be difficult to distinguish from otherfactors in the field, in particular differences brought about by subsurface heterogeneity, differences inmicrobial community structure, variations in sampling, analytical and analysis and data interpretationtechniques. Moreover, for England and Wales, the uncertainty is compounded by the lack of asignificant dataset on attenuation rates in aquifers.

The report “The Effects of Contaminant Concentration on the Potential for Natural Attenuation”,Environment Agency R&D Report Reference P2-228 (ISBN 1 85705 599 3) is scheduled forpublication in early 2002. It can be ordered from: http://www.webookshop.com/ea/rdreport.nsf

USA Study of NA of chlorinated solvents at high contaminant concentrationsThis combined laboratory and field project is being undertaken by the RTDF (RemediationTechnologies Development Forum) Bioremediation of Chlorinated Solvents Consortium at theTextron Site near Niagara Falls, New York State. The programme is designed to:• evaluate NA in fractured bedrock containing free-phase (DNAPL) chlorinated solvents and in

the downgradient plume;• understand the NA processes operating and the factors limiting these; and• evaluate enhancements of remediation in source areas that do not disrupt NA.

The contamination on the site arose from waste solvent (trichloroethene (TCE), 1,1,1-trichloroethane(TCA) and dichloromethane (DCM)) disposal at the site. Free-phase chlorinated solvent is present inthe overburden and underlying fractured dolomite aquifer and a plume is migrating downgradient ofthe source area.

Previous investigation work at the site has demonstrated a reducing geochemical environment in thecontaminated zone with sulphate-reduction being particularly important. There is evidence of rapidreductive dechlorination and a significant increase in chloride concentration along the plume. Thepresence of the dehalorespiring organism Dehalococcoides ethenogenes has been demonstrated. TCEhas been eliminated from the plume but relatively low concentrations of the degradation intermediates


cis-1,2-dichloroethene (DCE) and vinyl chloride (VC) are detected. This may be due to rapid reductivedechlorination of these compounds or to an alternative oxidative metabolic pathway. TCA is degradedby a combination of abiotic and biological processes. DCM is apparently biodegraded byfermentation. Biodegradation can take place even in the presence of free-phase chlorinated solvents.

Further work is currently ongoing to confirm which biodegradation processes are operating, theprecise origin of the detected chloride increase and to undertake a full mass contaminant andgeochemical mass balance.

Figure 13 Example data summary table from Agency report

After the presentation an implication from the UK project of specific MNA rates for particularcompounds was queried. Dr Morgan replied that no such implication was intended. The Agencyproject was not based on a premise of being able to discern generic rates from the literature, but ratherto give generic guidance about likely operating windows for MNA, i.e. typically encountered rangesof particular parameters under different circumstances. These operating windows are provided with a“health warning” that they are not absolutely predictive, and atypical values merit furtherinvestigation.

Monitored Natural Attenuation in Europe: Industrial experiences through acollaborative NICOLE project, Roger Jacquet, Solvay, Belgium

The NICOLE Project “Natural Attenuation: Guidelines for Acceptance” was established in January1998. At this time protocols for MNA were emerging from the USA, but European experience wasrather limited. More recently protocols for MNA have begun to be published by regulators inEuropean countries, for example in the Netherlands and the UK. The project objectives are to:

• promote the acceptance of natural attenuation as a part of a cost-effective and environmentallysound solution for contaminated sites,

• provide a technical basis for risk-based application of Monitored Natural Attenuation,• demonstrate the impact of natural attenuation at different industrial sites.

The project has two phases. In the first phase of the project, existing information on risk-orientedprotocols was collected, schematised and summarised. The report of this first phase entitled:"Monitored Natural Attenuation: Review of existing guidelines and protocols", published 1999, isavailable from the NICOLE Secretariat, price 45 EURO. The second phase of the project is nowunderway, where industrial members of the project team are carrying out investigations of MNAprotocols in the field.


The review of protocols has found a convergence in approaches to applying monitored naturalattenuation in the guidance surveyed (from the USA, the Netherlands and UK). The general themesthat emerge include the criteria for permitting the use of MNA and the use of lines of evidence tosupport MNA. MNA is permitted where it is protective of human health and the environment, andlikely to be effective within a reasonable timeframe. In general the following lines of evidence areused to support this case:• mass reduction of contaminants in the plume• indirect hydrogeological and geochemical indicators to demonstrate the type and rate of the

attenuation processes occurring, and• evidence through modelling and further hydrogeological, biological data collection.

The second phase of work, NICOLE Evaluation of Natural Attenuation (NENA), is a data sharingproject encompassing industrial sites throughout Europe. It is documenting the lines of evidence used.A common data set will be collected over a three year period. Industrial collaborators are: BP, DowBenelux, Eni-Ambiente, ExxonMobil, Ford Werke AG, Fortum Oil and Gas Oy, Port of Rotterdam,Shell, Solvay, Texaco, and TotaFinaElf. The scope of the project is outlined in Figure 14. Thedeliverables of the project are anticipated as being:• a review of eleven case studies of NA in Europe -data which otherwise might not have been

published,• a contribution to the definition of a general protocol for routine application of MNA,• a contribution in improving our understanding of the processes and of the controlling

conditions or operating windows.

Figure 14 Scope of the NENA Project

Coverage

CountriesBelgium, Germany, Finland, France, Italy, TheNetherlands, The United Kingdom

Type of geologyUnconsolidated deposit (9 sites)Fractured bedrock (2 sites)

Type of contamination

Hydrocarbons (6 sites)Chlorinated hydrocarbons (2 sites)Phenols (1 site)Mixed contamination (2 sites)

Common Data Set

Geology Site lithology & stratigraphy

Hydrogeologicalcharacterisation

Hydrology (Regional)-local hydrogeologyWater level elevationDirection of groundwater flowRange of seasonal water level fluctuation

Redox state indicators Dissolved oxygen, nitrate, iron, sulphate,methanePhysico-chemical

indicators of thegroundwater

Other indicators Organic carbon, pH, temperature,conductivity, chloride (chlorinated HC),contaminants + degradation products


Delegates suggested two possible further contributions to knowledge of MNA that such a wideranging survey could provide:

• To investigate whether , and if so how, NA itself altered the circumstances in the aquifer thatsupported NA processes, for example depletion of dissolved sulphate;

• To include sites where the NA encountered was insufficient for MNA to be a useful riskmanagement strategy.

Dr Jacquet reported that both were already planned to be investigated by NENA.

Using stable isotopes to monitor biodegradation of organic contaminants ingroundwaters, Simon Bottrell, University of Leeds, UK

Lighter isotopes of the same element form weaker bonds than heavier isotopes. Since their bonds aremore readily broken, lighter isotopes react faster - an effect known as kinetic fractionation. Suchfractionations occur during bacterial degradation of organic contaminants and the accumulated effecton contaminant molecules can be used to constrain the extent of degradation that has taken place.Dilution and sorption are not associated with significant isotopic effects, so this approach candistinguish biodegradation from changes in contaminant concentration due to other processes. For anisotopic effect to be usable, it must of course be a large enough enrichment to be detectable. Further ithas to be large enough so that it outweighs any uncertainty in how uniform the isotopic ratio is in theoriginal organic materials.

The most commonly used approach is to look for changes in the 13C/12C ratio of organic contaminantmolecules during biodegradation. To be effective as an index for degradation, isotopic effects must begreater than any initial variability in the isotopic composition of the contaminant source. In general,large and aromatic molecules exhibit small fractionations relative to smaller molecules, limiting theusefulness of this approach for many types of contaminant. On the other hand, reductivedehalogenation of halocarbons results in particularly large carbon isotopic fractionations and thetechnique is thus well suited to studies of halocarbon degradation.

Figure 15 Schematic of the Fractionation of Stable Isotopes, δ Represents theIsotope Ratio, and ε, the Isotopic Enrichment Factor

Alternatively, similar kinetic fractionations associated with bacterial consumption of electronacceptors such as sulphate (34S/32S) and nitrate (15N/14N) during biodegradation can be used to estimatethe extent to which these species have been consumed. This then enables the role played by sulphate


and nitrate reducing bacteria during biodegradation to be calculated. Care must be taken with sulphatereduction that the reduced sulphide product is not being recycled to sulphate by re-oxidation. Isotopiccompositions of oxygen in sulphate molecules can be used to investigate this possibility.

Using isotopic studies to gauge reaction progress during biodegradation can give unique insights intothe extent of biodegradation and the mechanisms by which it occurs. Whilst not applicable in allcases, changes in 13C/12C ratio of pollutant molecules provides a direct measure of biodegradationand can be a powerful tool in assessing the fate of subsurface contaminants.

Isotope Analysis In Support Of Natural Attenuation: results of a field study at the site ofDow Benelux NV, Terneuzen, the Netherlands, Frank Volkering, Tauw bv, andRik Jonker, Boris van Breukelen, Koos Groen, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, TheNetherlands

Isotope analysis has been used as a line of evidence to support the use of MNA in risk management ata Dow Benelux NV in Terneuzen, The Netherlands. This site is a large industrial area with severalgroundwater pollution problems. It is located in the Schelde estuary and has a complex hydrologicalsetting owing to the influence of tidal effects and the presence of salt water. An initial study to assessthe applicability of natural attenuation as a remediation strategy for the entire location showed theaquifer to be mainly anaerobic (sulphate reducing/ methanogenic) and provided general evidence forthe natural attenuation of the aromatic and chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons present.

One of the groundwater pollution problems, with the enigmatic designation of “Row 5”, has beeninvestigated in detail using isotope analysis. It consists of two adjacent source zones emittingbenzene and ethylbenzene near the groundwater table, resulting in two separate contaminant plumes,the largest of which has a length of over 160 m. This study included the following isotopeinvestigations, summarised in Table 2:• groundwater dating via 3H/3He analysis of groundwater samples;• analysis of 2H and 18O of groundwater;• 13C- and 14C-analysis of several carbon species;• analysis of 34S and 18O of sulphate to study sulphate reduction;• Compound Specific Isotope Analysis (CSIA) of 2H and 13C of benzene and ethylbenzene.

Biodegradation is the only relevant process occurring in anaerobic groundwater that can causesignificant isotopic enrichment. For both ethylbenzene and benzene, the 13C data showed a smallenrichment of 13C (1-2‰) in samples from the plume compared to samples from the source zone.However, for the isotopic shift to become significant, a concentration reduction of approximately 80-90% was required. This need for samples in which degradation is in an advanced stage limits theapplicability of 13C CSIA. Therefore, the study also included CSIA of 2H. The 2H results showed amuch stronger fractionating effect (up to 60‰ for ethylbenzene and up to 28‰ for benzene) andprovided conclusive evidence for biodegradation of benzene, even in down gradient samples that stillhave relatively high pollutant concentrations. TAUW suggest that this is the first time conclusive fieldevidence for anaerobic degradation of benzene has been obtained without the use of microcosmstudies.


Table 2 Isotopic Investigations Carried Out at Dow Benelux, Terneuzen, The Netherlands

Groundwaterdating

A detailed, but semi-regional model is used to describe the hydrology at theDow site. However it failed to accurately describe the groundwatercontamination in Row 5, possibly because of the presence of an old creek orinfiltration via a drainage system. Therefore, to determine groundwater velocity,groundwater samples from Row 5 were dated using the 3H/3He- method. This isbased on the following premise. Infiltrating rainwater contains a certain amountof tritium (3H), which is subject to radioactive decay with a constant half-life of12.43 years. Once the rain enters the ground it is no longer in equilibrium withatmospheric water. By measuring the ratio of 3H to its decay product 3He, thetime to infiltration, and consequently mean groundwater velocity can becalculated. The results of the dating indicate the groundwater velocity to be fourto six times greater than originally predicted.

Groundwaterorigin

The stable isotope content of groundwater can be used to determine its origin.The 2H and 18O content of the shallow groundwater showed that this wateroriginated from rainwater that has been subject to evaporation. This supports thehypothesis of infiltration via a drainage system in which some stagnant zonesexist.

Carbon balance

A detailed geochemical study including 13C and 14C analysis of several carbonspecies was performed. The naturally occurring degradation of natural organicmaterial, and the dissolution of carbonates, “masks’ most measurable effects ofpollutant degradation on the groundwater geochemistry. Conclusive evidencefor the anaerobic biodegradation of benzene could not be obtained.

Sulphate reduction

The shallow groundwater contains little sulphate. At elevated depths, mixing offresh water and salt water occurs, resulting in elevated sulphate concentrations.Depletion of sulphate relative to chloride was observed, indicatingdisappearance of sulphate in this mixing zone. Sulphur isotope analysis ofsulphate showed a large enrichment in the heavy isotope 34S in the samples withdepleted sulphate, providing conclusive evidence for biological sulphatereduction

Biodegradation ofbenzene andethylbenzene

Biodegradation of benzene could not be ascertained with geochemical methods.Therefore, compound specific isotope analyses were performed on groundwatersamples containing benzene and ethylbenzene. The results of the CSIA study areshown in Figure 16.


Figure 16 Stable isotope composition (13C, 2H) of ethylbenzene and benzene in groundwatersamples from the source zone ( ) and the contaminant plume ( ).

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www.howtomna.com: Web-based training on the principles and practice of monitorednatural attenuation, Paul Nathanail, Land Quality Management Limited, University ofNottingham, UK

Natural attenuation (NA) refers to naturally occurring physical, chemical and biological processes thatact within an aquifer to reduce contaminant load, concentration, flux or toxicity (ie the mechanism).Monitored natural attenuation (MNA) refers to explicitly exploiting those processes to obviate theneed for interventionist corrective action. MNA requires considerable site characterisation, modellingand predictive effort to satisfy stakeholders, including environmental regulators, that relevant

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δ13C ethylbenzene (‰ VPDB)


receptors or targets are being protected. The www.howtomna.com web site will contain a publicdomain downloadable training package introducing the principles of monitored natural attenuation(MNA) of hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents. The material can be studied independently or bedelivered in tutor-led mode.

form

at

Learning material is presented in an interactive format (HTML) compatible with internet browsertechnology. Coverage includes the principles of MNA, fate mechanisms for petroleum hydrocarbons andchlorinated solvents, documented case histories world-wide, methods of site evaluation, and supportinginformation. Each section of the course ends with a self-assessment module.

the

pack

age

The training package will comprise three components: Student pack; Tutor pack and Simulated sites. Thepackage is in a form that can be followed either as a stand-alone or tutor-led training package. The optionof a distance learning mode of study with remote access to tutors from LQM at the University ofNottingham is currently being considered.

the

stu

den

t pac

k

A series of PowerPoint-derived HTML files containing the following learning materials:• Principles of MNA;• MNA of hydrocarbons;• MNA of chlorinated solvents;• Case studies.• LinksEach section/lecture ends with a series of questions that can be answered from the informationcontained in the pack. This will allow the self learner to test how well they have assimilatedmaterial and to go back and revise material they have not absorbed to their satisfaction. There isalso an extensive list of references, including where to look for further information, networkingor training.

the

tuto

r pa

ck

For tutor-led delivery, the package includes additional tutor information (the Tutor Pack) oncourse delivery, timings, requirements, delegate capabilities, and assessment. The Tutor Packcontains guidance on how to deliver training material contained in the student pack. Advice onassumed background knowledge is provided as are suggestions on places to find information tobring tutees up to that level. A Pentium PC running Windows 9x is required. An Internetbrowser or other HTML viewer is required to view the lecture material. Office 97, (especiallyMS Access and Excel) is required to operate the simulations. MS World or other wordprocessor able to read rich text files (.RTF) is required to access the reader accompanying eachlecture presentation. Model answers to the simulations are provided to assist debriefing tutees.Example forms of assessment and model answers are included. There is also a system forawarding prizes to tutees to increase the sense of realism in the simulations. Guidance is givenon the times various activities are likely to require and where bottlenecks are likely to occur(crux points). Advice on ground rules and on the stage management of delivery are provided aswell as on how to establish group composition and task allocation in the simulation. The levelof knowledge assumed in the tutor is stated. Finally, acknowledgement of sponsors andinformation suppliers is made.

gett

ing

goin

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The package will be available for download via the Internet at www.howtomna.com from April2002. A CD-ROM version may be available from the author of this paper (charged at-cost forhandling, media and mailing). The material is available in self-extracting archive format basedon the PKZIP/WINZIP compression algorithm.

Users will need to extract files into a subdirectory of their choice – we suggest /howtomna/ isused. A readme.txt file provides specific guidance on extracting the files and getting startedwith the training package.


The training package has been designed and is intended for individual use in stand-alone mode.However, the material is also suitable for tutor-led delivery, for which specific support is included.

A novel feature is the provision of an interactive exercise which enable the user to undertake a realisticinvestigation and evaluation of a MNA case. The ‘simulated site’ is based on a real case history andhas been designed to achieve specific learning objectives. MNA was adopted to deal withhydrocarbon contamination.

Future developments include providing country specific training on local policy and practice and casestudies of different substances and from different countries.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The development of this distance learning package was made possibleby technical and financial support from: The Institute of Petroleum; UKAEA, The EnvironmentAgency, BP, Shell and Geosyntech.

MNA and the Water Framework Directive, its role in the application of “Risk BasedLand Management” to River Basin Management Plans, Bob Harris, EnvironmentAgency of England and Wales.

The EC Water Framework Directive requires Member States to achieve good status for surface andgroundwater. The overall driver for this is to achieve a “good ecological status” for rivers. Hencewater quality needs to be considered within the context of the whole river basin (i.e. land,groundwater, wetlands, lakes and rivers) which requires a holistic understanding of river basins.Typically groundwater is thought of as in three dimensional blocks whose upper surface is the groundsurface. Rivers are often considered in a way that is isolated from groundwater, as surface featuresthat are ecosystems and drainage channels. Perhaps it is time to link rivers and groundwater conceptsmore meaningfully: a river is an outcrop of groundwater (see Figure 17). This acknowledgement iskey to understanding the importance of groundwater in catchment areas under the Water FrameworkDirective (WFD).

Figure 17: A River is an Outcrop of Groundwater

The key elements of the WFD is that improvements in rivers are to be achieved through a staged anditerative process of River Basin Management Planning, encompassing:


• Characterisation of River Basins• Analysis of pressures• Environmental monitoring• Drawing up River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs)• Implementation of a programme of measures.RBMPs are statutory and require public participation.

RBMP’s will underpin groundwater quality objectives. Groundwater status will be assessed on twobases:Quantitative status: the volume abstracted should not affect associated surface ecology, andChemical (pollution) status: based on a limited number of Environmental Quality Standards intendedto reverse any significant sustained upward trend in pollutants in rivers. This will be regulated in afuture daughter Directive, currently under discussion.

Surface water status will be assessed on the basis of its ecological status and its chemical (pollution)status. The ecological status will encompass biological features (benthic invertebrates, aquatic floraand fish), hydromorphological features and physicochemical considerations.

The Water Framework Directive is set to drive forward more integrated thinking about land-groundwater-surface water interactions, in terms of polluted land giving rise to contaminated run-offand infiltration. Contaminated land has been thought of usually in technical terms in two separatecontexts: human/ecosystem health and water pollution. The former has often been seen as the mostimportant local/political driver, but in future the WFD will be an important legislative driver commonto all European countries. This is because many rivers have a high proportion of groundwater asbaseflow. Consequently, where groundwater is polluted (or being polluted) via the soil/land, then itmay influence surface water quality. If this influence is inhibiting the achievement of “goodecological status” then action will be needed. Similarly river/lake sediments have provided a sink forthe legacy of past industrial discharges and are difficult to remediate cost-effectively and withoutaffecting other parts of the environment.

MNA has a large part to play in the solution. It is one of a range of possible solutions, as illustrated inFigure 18, and it should not be considered in isolation. MNA is often best considered as part of a“treatment train” that has source control/management as its central tenet. Using MNA as a singlemanagement approach for the remediation of groundwater and soil may not provide an adequatesolution for a variety of reasons such as:

• its long timescale;• its political/public acceptability (education issue);• its inability to provide a remedy for immediate risks (receptor being impacted);• logistics (such as in situations where monitoring is difficult);• it is not technically suitable, or its suitability is uncertain, for example for recalcitrant pollutants.

However, in the overall context of risk-based land management (RBLM), adopting MNA as a wholeor part remedial solution has attractions for:• economic / cost benefit reasons;• sustainability reasons;• minimal disruption; and• reducing on-going pollution.In urban areas where there are many point sources, (M)NA may be the only viable solution.

One does not have to be too pessimistic to come to the conclusion that continuing pollution fromexisting/new land use might be inevitable. Perhaps where NA has developed to an extent where is


provides effective risk management, it is a natural biotreatment system for further activities. Thiscreates an argument for keeping brownfield sites for brownfield industries

Figure 18 MNA is at one end of a spectrum of related remedial options and should be seen assimply part of a continuum in a range of options, not the “ultimate solution”

The WFD allows Member States until 2015 to sort out groundwater and its influence on surfacewaters. It sets a stringent timetable to:• Define basins, appointing Competent Authorities by 2003• Analyse basins, review human impact by 2004• Commence Monitoring Programme by 2006• State Issues and Objectives by 2007• Derive measures, consult on draft plan by 2008• Enacted plans 2009 - 2012• Review plans 2013 - 2015.

It aims include:• “preventing deterioration of ecological status and pollution of surface waters and restoring surfacewaters, with the aim of achieving good surface water status ……. and good surface water chemicalstatus, at the latest 16 years after the date of entry into force of this Directive, in all bodies of surfacewater…....”• “preventing deterioration of groundwater status, restoring bodies of groundwater, and ensuring abalance between abstraction and recharge of groundwater, with the aim of achieving goodgroundwater status in all bodies of groundwater………...at the latest 16 years after the date of entryinto force of this Directive and reversing any significant and sustained upward trend in theconcentration of any pollutant resulting from the impact of human activity……..”

The WFD does provide some grounds for derogations to lower standards if the timetable or objectivesare not feasible or are disproportionately expensive. Member States may aim to achieve less stringentenvironmental objectives than those required, when both the following conditions are met:1. Member States determine that the body of water is so affected by human activity or its natural

condition is such that improvements in status would be infeasible or unreasonably expensive; and2. the establishment of less stringent environmental objectives, and the reasons for it, are specifically

mentioned in the River Basin Management Plan ……. and those objectives are reviewed every sixyears.


But protection to higher standards will still be required for protected areas such as: recreational waters,nutrient sensitive waters (e.g. nitrate vulnerable zones), conservation sites; and groundwater sourceprotection zones.

General conclusions for the use of MNA are that it fits well with the CLARINET “big idea” ofRBLM, if considered as part of a range of remedial options. MNA will also be a key component ofthe “programme of measures” required by the WFD for historical pollution for many urban areas.However, the 15 year timescale desired by the WFD is probably inadequate for MNA to provide a“complete” solution. Therefore, the context in which MNA is to be utilised will need to carefully andclearly explained in the RBMPs, and the reasons for its use, despite its long timeframe foreffectiveness provided.

What is Risk Based Land Management?

Risk Based Land Management (RBLM) is a strategy for contaminated land managementin which environmental risks are assessed and minimised. RBLM, as used byCLARINET, is a phrase with a broad meaning. Its three main components are definedthus (www.clarinet.at):• Risk describes the possibility of any adverse environmental effects from

contamination. The aim for sustainable contaminated land management is todecide what risk is unacceptable and when and how to reduce it. Risk reduction isused in order to return contaminated land to an economically viable condition.

• Land represents an area with geographical boundaries – it is assumed to be anarea such as a single industrial site, or a region such as municipality. In thissense, land includes groundwater as contaminated land can impact on ground andsurface water and vice versa.

• Management is a set of activities involving decisions about issues such asassessment, remediation, land-use restrictions, monitoring, spatial planning, andaftercare. In the context of risk management it is a much broader activity that‘selecting a remedial technique’ - it includes all aspects of developing andimplementing a sustainable approach.

CLARINET's general approach is that Risk Based Land Management is a framework forthe integration of two assessments:• The timetable for remediation: Priority setting based on current risks and

Society's needs to change the use of contaminated land.• The design of the solution: to meet all requirements in a sustainable way,

including environmental effects, available space and facilities, local perceptionsand other issues.

The two key strands of RBLM are the time frame for remediation and the choice ofsolution. These strands are independent and have a strong bearing on both riskmanagement decision making and implementation as the range of available solutions isalmost always critically dependent on the time available for the risk management tobecome effective.


4.3 Results of a “Thought Experiment” Investigating the Range of Viewson the Usefulness of MNA for a Series of Case Studies.

By Anja Sinke, TNO, the Netherlands

Introduction

A small project has been carried out over the last quarter of 2001, concluding on December 31st, toinvestigate attitudes to and experience of MNA among NICOLE members. The project was based ona survey of responses to a series of ten case studies, each of an imaginary site, but based on real siteinformation. The sites are summarised in Table 3. The case study information was made available toNICOLE (and NNAGS) members, and for each site encompassed: site history, contaminant situation,geology and location of receptors.

Respondents were invited to give their opinion on the feasibility of MNA for each site using scores of1-5 to indicate their view of the likelihood of success of MNA as a risk management strategy for thesite in question. Respondents were also invited to suggest other preferred strategies, and to indicatethe what further information they felt was necessary for adequate decision making. Respondents couldalso indicate whether they felt competent to make a judge for each particular case study.

Interim Results

At the workshop preliminary results were presented, based on 20 responses (15% of the participants).During the meeting further responses were handed in but these are not discussed here. They will beincluded in the final project report, due to be published in 2002.

Scores for the likelihood of success of MNA as a risk management strategy ranged widely. Scores of4-5 (MNA will having an important role) were common for the sites with crude oil or TEX. Scoreswere much lower 1-2 (little chance for) for the sites with metals or nitroaromatics.

All respondents felt competent to judge cases with crude oil or TEX5 in unconsolidated soil.Confidence was less for cyanide and explosives the expertise and experience, with only 66% ofrespondents feeling competent to judge these cases.

Discussion

Five of the case studies were discussed further during a parallel session of the workshop. These were:• Number 2, because for this site the highest number of alternative remediation techniques were

mentioned,• Number 4,because apparently there is a knowledge gap on cyanide behaviour and MNA,• Number 8, because it had one of the highest scores for MNA,• Number 9, because it was the only site in consolidated soil,• Number 10, because for this site the largest standard deviation in MNA score was found

between the respondents.

Discussion groups were allowed almost two hours and were set the following questions:1. What additional information is needed?2. What type of scientific research is needed?

5 Toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene


3. What type of monitoring program is suggested (frequency, location of wells, modelling, howlong)?

4. What is the best option to remediate the site?

The results of these discussions are summarised in Table 4 and 5.

Table 3 General Characteristics of the Ten Virtual Sites

Site (number andname)

Compounds Approximateplume length

Approximateplume age

1. Metal cleaning Chlorinated solvents 160 m >20 years2. Underground

tanksTEX5 and chlorinatedsolvents

75 m > 20 years

3. Metal finishing Metals 90 m > 20 years4. Gas plant Cyanide 150 m > 50 years5. Crude oil Crude oil 140 m 20 years6. PAH near

railroadPAH 100 m 22 years

7. Weapon station Explosives (nitroaromatics) 200 m > 50 years8. Industry near

riverTEX 100 m 50 years

9. Petroleum filling MTBE, BTEX, diesel 100 m 3 years10. Industrial

complexChlorinated solvents, BTEX Multiple >250 m Unknown

Table 4 Results of the Discussion Groups with Respect to the Additional Data That Are Neededand Scientific Research Necessary

Site Additional data needed: Scientific research needed:Underground tanks Historical data

Plume deliniationVadose zoneReceptors

No

Gas plant Delineation of plumeThorough analysis of hydrocarbonsCyanide concentration in soil

Comprehensive study of behaviourof cyanides in soil: fate of cyanides,chemistry etc.

Industry near river Groundwater flow (piezometric)Conceptual modelImpacts of river flow regimeContaminant distribution

Effects of river

Petroleum filling What receptor is to be protected?Effects of heavy rainfall,MTBE/TAME plume stable?

Role of matrix for attenuation,In situ measurement of periodicfluxes.

Industrial complex Trend analysis Anaerobic degradation of benzene,Process conditions to ensure long-term MNA


Table 5 Results of the Discussion Groups with Respect to the Risk Management Strategy

Site Monitoring program Advised remediation strategyUnderground tanks TEX distribution

Conceptual modelRisk assessment

MonitorIf possible source removal

Gas plant Doubts on MNA, first more field study Source removal and treatmentIndustry near river Historical data

Monitor effects river2-3 years, than reduce

MNA

Petroleum filling In situ sensors?Variability in porosity

Injection of air up-gradientFunnel and gate down-gradient

Industrial complex Along flow lines, once a yearSeveral depths

Source removal,MNA for plume management


Annex 1 Delegate List

S. (Susan) Alcock SENSPOL UK

C. (Chris) Anbeek Gemeentewerken Rotterdam NL

R.P. (Paul) Bardos NICOLE Information Manager UK

M. (Malcolm) Barton Groundwork UK UK

J. (John) Bearder Shell Global Solutions UK

M.J. (Martin) Bell ICI Group Headquarters North West UK

R.M. (Reinier) Besemer DuraVermeer NL

J. (Jappe) de Best Grontmij Consulting Engineers NL

P.L. (Poul Løgstrup) Bjerg Technical University of Denmark Denmark

S. (Simon) Bluestone Montgomery Watson Harza Italy

G. (Genevieve) Boshoff The Queens University UK

S. (Simon) Bottrell University of Leeds UK

P. (Patricia) de Bruycker Solvay S.A. Belgium

C.E.H.M. (Cees) Buijs Public Works Rotterdam NL

C. (Claudio) Carlon Consorzio Venezia Ricerche Italy

F. (Faye) Cassidy Powergen UK

K.K.L. (Karen) Cerneaz Shell Global Solutions International NL

P. (Paolo) Cortesi ENI / Enichem S.p.A. Italy

R.L. (Rae) Crawford ExxonMobil UK

I. (Ido) Croese Arcadis Heidemij Advise NL

L. (Ludo) Diels VITO - Flemish Inst. for Techn. Research Belgium

L. (Lydia) Dijkshoorn Tauw Belgium

C. (Christel) Dittebrandt Ford Werke AG Germany

P.J. (Peter) van Driel Fugro Milieu Consult BV NL

J. (Hans) van Duijne TNO-MEP/NITG NL

D. (David) Edwards VHE Holdings plc. UK

C. (Christer) Egelstig JM AB Sweden

S. (Sara) Eriksson Göteborg University Sweden

Th. (Thomas) Ertel UW Umweltwirtschaft GmbH Germany

M. (Marjan) Euser NICOLE Secretariat NL

J. (Johan) De Fraye Montgomery Watson Harza Belgium

P. (Philippe) Freyssinet BRGM France

W. (Wouter) Gevaerts Gedas NV Belgium

M.P. (Marc) van Gijzel Royal Vopak NL


M.S. (Bas) Godschalk Hak Milieutechniek BV NL

E. (Els) Gommeren OVAM Belgium

H.W. Grobbe Tebodin NL

B. (Bertil) Grundfelt KemaktaKonsult AB Sweden

P.E. (Paul) Hardisty KOMEX UK

B. (Bob) Harris Environment Agency UK

A. (Alwyn) Hart Environment Agency UK

W.A. (Willem) van Hattem Port of Rotterdam NL

I. (Ian) Heasman Taylor Woodrow UK

T.J. (Timo) Heimovaara Royal Haskoning NL

C. (Cor) Hofstee TNO-NITG NL

A. (Alma) Hollen TNO-MEP NL

C. (Christoph) Holliger EPFL – Lab. for Environmental Biotechn. Switzerland

R. (Rüdiger) Hotten Hochtief Umwelt GmbH Germany

M.D. (Marinus Dirk) Hulsbos Fugro Milieu Consult BV NL

T. (Thierry) Imbert TAUW Environnement France

R. (Roger) Jacquet Solvay S.A. Belgium

J. (John) Janse BioSoil BV NL

C.C. (Christian) Juckenack Fachhochschule Nordhausen Germany

B. (Ben) Klinck British Geological Survey UK

M.P. Koopmans TNO-NITG NL

H.-P. (Hans-Peter) Koschitzky University Stuttgart Germany

J.G. (Dick) Kruisweg Akzo Nobel NV NL

A. Kulker Fugro Milieu Consult BV NL

A. (Agnes) Laboudigue CNRSSP France

R. (Reinout) Lageman Hak Milieutechniek BV NL

D. (David) Lerner University of Sheffield UK

J. (Jenna) Lines Powergen UK

L. (Linda) Maring TNO-MEP NL

C. (Claudio) Mattalia ENVIARS Italy

J. (Jeroen) ter Meer TNO-MEP NL

J.G. (Han) Meijer Port of Rotterdam NL

M. (Mastrocicco) Micòl University of Ferrara Italy

B. (Barbara) Möhlendick Stadt Köln Germany

Ph. (Phil) Morgan GeoSyntec Consultants Ltd. UK

P. (Paul) Nathanail University of Nottingham UK


R.L. (Robert) Nemeskeri Regional Environmental Center for CEE Hungary

V. (Victorine) Ngang University of Yaounde Cameroon

R. (Richard) Ogden BAE Systems Property Unit UK

J. (Jasha) Oosterbaan Ecole des Mines de Paris France

A. (Anita) Oskarsson SWECO Position Sweden

S. (Sascha) Oswald University of Sheffield UK

B. Overbeek Tebodin NL

L. (Linet) Özdamar Yeditepe University Turkey

I. (Ivo) Pallemans DEC NV Belgium

J. (John) Parsons University of Amsterdam NL

A. (Alain) Pérez TotalFinaElf France

L.N. (Lennart) Pettersson Vopak Logistics Nordic AB Sweden

C.M. (Carol-lynne) Pettit BNFL UK

S. (Simon) Plant Golder Associates (UK) Ltd. UK

S. (Sandra) Potgieter Dow South Africa South-Africa

K.J. (Kelvin) Potter ICI Regional and Industrial Businesses UK

C.C.D.F. (Derk) van Ree GeoDelft NL

H.X. (Hetty) van Rhijn-Stumphius Gemeentewerken Rotterdam NL

P. (Paul) van Riet Dow Benelux NV NL

H.H.M. (Huub) Rijnaarts TNO-MEP NL

M.O. (Michael) Rivett University of Birmingham UK

V.Y. (Valentina) Roudneva Int. Science and Technology Center/ISTC Russian

Federation

B. (Bert) Satijn SKB NL

A.J.M. (Lida) Schelwald-van der Kley Port of Rotterdam NL

J. (Jürgen) Schütz Clayton Umweltschutz GbR Germany

E. (Erwin) Sevens OVAM Belgium

A.J.C. (Anja) Sinke TNO-MEP NL

A.B. Slagmolen HBG Civiel Milieu NL

H. (Hans) Slenders TNO-MEP NL

R.C. (Richard) Smith Royal Vopak NL

P. (Paolo) Spensieri University of Ferrara Italy

R.F.P. (Richard) Spijkerman Oranjewoud BV NL

J.J.M. (Sjef) Staps TNO-MEP NL

S. (Sven) Starckx KPMG Assurance & Advisory Services Belgium

R. (Ruth) Stephenson KOMEX UK


I. (Indulis) Stikans Riga Technical University Latvia / Letland

P. (Pieter) Struijs Port of Rotterdam NL

M. (Mike) Summersgill VHE Technology Ltd. UK

I. (Iñaki) Susaeta Gaiker Spain

A.H. Taalen Vopak NL

G. (Georg) Teutsch University of Tübingen Germany

J. (Jeff) Thornton Golder Associates (UK) Ltd. UK

S. (Steven) Thornton University of Sheffield UK

T. (Thomas) Track Dechema Germany

A. (Achim) Trautmann Deutsche Steinkohle AG Germany

R. (Rainer) Ulrich Clayton Umweltschutz GbR Germany

I. (Ivan) Vanicek Czech Technical University Czech Republic

H.J. (Johan) van Veen NICOLE Secretariat NL

H.J. (Harry) Vermeulen SKB NL

M. (Mladen) Vidovic URS Dames & Moore Italy

R. (Reinoud) Visser NICOLE Photographer NL

E.P.C. (Elze-Lia) Visser-Westerweele NICOLE Secretary Serv. Providers NL

F. (Frank) Volkering SKB/Tauw NL

J.J. (Jaap) van der Waarde Bioclear BV NL

T. (Terry) Walden BP Amoco Oil Europe UK

S. (Steve) Wallace Lattice Property Holdings Ltd. UK

N. (Nikolaj) Walraven TNO-NITG NL

D.E. (Dory) van Welsen-Moonen TNO Inro NL

H. (Henrik) Westerholm Fortum Oil and Gas Oy Finland

C. (Carolann) Wolfgang TNO-MEP NL

M.J. (Michael) Wright Montgomery Watson Harza UK

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