Radiocarbon and Stable Carbon Isotope Analysis to Confirm Petroleum Natural Attenuation in the Vadose Zone

CO 2 and CH 4 radiocarbon and stable carbon isotope ratios were used to assess natural attenuation at a fuel-contaminated soil site at the Norfolk Navy Base, Norfolk, VA (USA). Soil gas samples were collected spatially over a monitoring network in October 2002 and in March 2003. CO 2 and CH 4 from r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental forensics 2008-03, Vol.9 (1), p.75-84
Main Authors: Coffin, Richard B., Pohlman, John W., Grabowski, Kenneth S., Knies, David. L., Plummer, Rebecca E., Magee, Robert W., Boyd, Thomas J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
carbon dioxide
carbon isotopes
groundwater
methane
methanogenesis
natural attenuation
petroleum
radiocarbon
soil gas
stable carbon isotope analysis
vadose zone
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Summary:CO 2 and CH 4 radiocarbon and stable carbon isotope ratios were used to assess natural attenuation at a fuel-contaminated soil site at the Norfolk Navy Base, Norfolk, VA (USA). Soil gas samples were collected spatially over a monitoring network in October 2002 and in March 2003. CO 2 and CH 4 from regions with high petroleum concentrations were 14 C-depleted relative to uncontaminated areas. 14 C-depleted methane suggested methanogenic hydrocarbon degradation. The difference in CO 2 age between background and plume-influenced areas indicated that approximately 90% of the CO 2 at the latter was petroleum derived, making contaminant the primary source of carbon for the microbial assemblage.
ISSN:1527-5922
1527-5930
DOI:10.1080/15275920801888335