Publications Details
Sandia National Laboratories Chemical Waste Landfill: Innovative strategies towards characterization and remediation
The Chemical Waste Landfill (CWL) was used by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque for disposal of hazardous chemicals from the years 1962 to 1985. Prompted by the detection of low levels of trichlorethylene (TCE) in groundwater samples from a water table aquifer approximately 146 meters below ground surface, a RCRA Site Investigation (RSI) and remediation of organic contaminants will be performed at the CWL prior to closure of this landfill. The RSI is focused on optimal characterization of the VOC and dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) contamination at this site which will be possible through application of innovative strategies for characterization and promising new technologies. This paper provides a discussion of conceptual models of contaminant transport at the CWL, and an overview of our investigative strategy which is focused on characterizing transport of VOC and DNAPLS. Each stage of the RSI has been developed to gather information which will reduce the uncertainty in the design of each subsequent phase of the investigation. Three stages are described; a source characterization stage, unsaturated zone characterization stage, and a saturated zone characterization stage. The unsaturated zone characterization must provide all data necessary to make decisions concerning the necessity of a saturated zone characterization phase.