SBIR-STTR Award

Use of Environmental Forensics for Trichloroethylene (TCE) Plume Delineation
Award last edited on: 1/7/2009

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
DOD : AF
Total Award Amount
$849,536
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
AF06-332
Principal Investigator
Jason Shiflet

Company Information

Zapata Inc (AKA: Zapataengineering)

6302 Fairview Road Suite 600
Charlotte, NC 28210
   (704) 358-8240
   zapata@zapatainc.com
   www.zapatainc.com
Location: Single
Congr. District: 09
County: Mecklenburg

Phase I

Contract Number: ----------
Start Date: ----    Completed: ----
Phase I year
2006
Phase I Amount
$100,000
The United States Department of Defense (DoD) is responsible for millions of acres across the United States. At some DoD-owned sites (and those known as formerly used defense sites (FUDS)), it has been determined that subsurface contaminants exist. At many of the sites, trichloroethylene is a subsurface soil and/or groundwater constituent. Under aerobic conditions, TCE does not readily degrade and can persist as TCE with its only movement governed by physical hydrologic processes. Under anaerobic conditions, TCE is sequentially reduced primarily through microbial reductive dechlorination. For TCE, this involves the sequential reduction of TCE to DCE (primarily cis-1,2 Dichloroethene, but trans-1,2 Dichloroethene and 1,1-Dichloroethene have also been observed), followed by conversion of DCE to Vinyl Chloride (VC) and finally VC to ethene. As chlorinated solvents biodegrade, the products of the degradation process may or may not be less harmful than the original contaminants. This can lead to an accumulation of these toxic compounds under certain conditions. Investigative experience, sound data collection and a combination of traditional (physical, chemical and biological) information along with isotope composition or ìfingerprintingî information are necessary for developing a thorough understanding of the nature and extent of TCE contamination in the subsurface.

Keywords:
Trichloroethylene, Isotope, Methodology, Delineation, Contaminant, Modeling, Environment, Forensic

Phase II

Contract Number: ----------
Start Date: ----    Completed: ----
Phase II year
2008
Phase II Amount
$749,536
ZAPATAENGINEERING will determine the sources and approximate percentage of contribution to the co-mingled TCE plume located at the government-designated site. This Phase II process specifically will allow our project team to refine and complete development of the Comparative Isotope Fractionation Methodology (CIFM), a process by which stable isotopic signatures are combined with traditional hydrogeologic parameters and utilized within a three-dimensional fate-and-transport finite-element model to resolve and identify the source(s) of TCE. Initially, ZAPATAENGINEERING will offer the methodology as a service to be performed or supervised by ZAPATAENGINEERING personnel. This service dovetails nicely with the other numerous engineering and environmental services we currently offer to our clients, thereby, mitigating potential risks associated with bringing a new product to market.

Keywords:
Tce, Isotope, Model, Source, Delineation, Method, Chlorinated, Solvent