Natural and man-made hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), in groundwater near a mapped plume, Hinkley, California—study progress as of May 2017, and a summative-scale approach to estimate background Cr(VI) concentrations

Izbicki, John A.; Groover, Krishangi D.

doi:10.3133/ofr20181045

“…Although less abundant than chromium in geologic materials, arsenic and uranium are more available to groundwater than chromium or vanadium as a result of differences in mineral weathering and sorption. As a consequence, in 2016, arsenic and uranium exceeded their respective maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) of 10 and 30 μg/L in almost 40 and 8 percent of sampled domestic wells in Hinkley and Water Valleys, respectively (Izbicki and Groover, 2018).…”

Section: Sand and Gravel Sand With Fines Finesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chromium in minerals and selected aquifer materials

Groover¹,

Izbicki²,

Benzel³

et al. 2023

Professional Paper

1

0

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This study was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) with input from a technical working group (TWG) composed of community members, the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), the Independent Review Panel Manager (Project Navigator, Ltd.), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), and consultants for PG&E. The study was funded cooperatively under an agreement between the Lahontan RWQCB and the USGS. Funding for the study was provided by PG&E to the Lahontan RWQCB. Logistical support for field work, including access to wells, was provided by PG&E. The TWG met approximately quarterly during the study to provide input to the study, and the Hinkley community was updated annually on study progress.The authors thank the many people involved in the design and implementation of this study including the staff of the Lahontan RWQCB, the staff of PG&E and their consultants, and the staff of Project Navigator, Ltd. The authors also acknowledge and thank the many involved community members who allowed access to their properties for sample collection, and who collectively donated thousands of hours on behalf of the local community in support of this project and for resolution of other issues related to anthropogenic hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), within the Hinkley area.

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“…Hydrologic data, including predevelopment water-levels, groundwater recharge and discharge, aquifer properties, and groundwater movement across the Lockhart fault (Task 4 in table J.1), were collected to support updates to an existing groundwater-flow model by PG&E consultants (Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., 2019). Groundwater chemistry data, including groundwater-age data, were compared with particle-tracking data computed from the updated groundwater-flow model (Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., 2019) to understand differences in the conceptualization of the groundwater system and the extent of anthropogenic Cr(VI) in groundwater underlying Hinkley Valley developed from geochemical data and from hydraulic data (Task 5 in table J.1; Izbicki and Groover, 2018). Laboratory microcosm experiments were used to evaluate the fate of chromium during and after in situ reduction, a mitigation measure that has been used in Hinkley Valley to reduce Cr(VI) to Cr(III) and remove chromium from groundwater (Task 8 in table J.1).…”

Section: J13 Purpose and Scopementioning

confidence: 99%

Summary and conclusions

Izbicki¹,

Groover²,

Seymour³

et al. 2023

Professional Paper

0

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This study was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) with input from a technical working group (TWG) composed of community members, the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), the Independent Review Panel Manager (Project Navigator, Ltd.), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), and consultants for PG&E. The study was funded cooperatively under an agreement between the Lahontan RWQCB and the USGS. Funding for the study was provided by PG&E to the Lahontan RWQCB. Logistical support for field work, including access to wells, was provided by PG&E. The TWG met approximately quarterly during the study to provide input to the study, and the Hinkley community was updated annually on study progress.The authors thank the many people involved in the design and implementation of this study including the staff of the Lahontan RWQCB, the staff of PG&E and their consultants, and the staff of Project Navigator, Ltd. The authors also acknowledge and thank the many involved community members who allowed access to their properties for sample collection, and who collectively donated thousands of hours on behalf of the local community in support of this project and for resolution of other issues related to anthropogenic hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), within the Hinkley area.

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“…The occurrence of Cr(VI) in the aquatic environment was historically driven by anthropogenic release from chemical and manufacturing industries, including paints, pigments, paper, electroplating and leather tanning (Jacobs and Testa, 2005). One notable example is the disastrous Cr(VI) release from an industrial site in Hinkley, Calif. between 1950s and1960s, which garnered an international attention four decades later through the blockbuster Oscar-winning movie Erin Broachvich (Izbicki and Groover, 2018). However, as the manufacturing industry sets more stringent standards on wastewater treatment in recent decades, the contribution of industrial wastewater discharge to Cr(VI) occurrence becomes less of a routine concern.…”

Section: H I G H L I G H T Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Hexavalent chromium in drinking water: Chemistry, challenges and future outlook on Sn(II)- and photocatalyst-based treatment

Liu

¹

,

Yu

²

2020

Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.

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Chromium (Cr) typically exists in either trivalent and hexavalent oxidation states in drinking water, i.e., Cr(III) and Cr(VI), with Cr(VI) of particular concern in recent years due to its high toxicity and new regulatory standards. This Account presented a critical analysis of the sources and occurrence of Cr(VI) in drinking water in the United States, analyzed the equilibrium chemistry of Cr(VI) species, summarized important redox reaction relevant to the fate of Cr(VI) in drinking water, and critically reviewed emerging Cr(VI) treatment technologies. There is a wide occurrence of Cr(VI) in US source drinking water, with a strong dependence on groundwater sources, mainly due to naturally weathering of chromium-containing aquifers. Challenges regarding traditional Cr(VI) treatment include chemical cost, generation of secondary waste and inadvertent re-generation of Cr(VI) after treatment. To overcome these challenges, reductive Cr(VI) treatment technologies based on the application of stannous tin or electron-releasing titanium dioxide photocatalyst hold extreme promise in the future. To moving forward in the right direction, three key questions need further exploration for the technology implementation, including effective management of residual waste, minimizing the risks of Cr(VI) re-occurrence downstream of drinking water treatment plant, and promote the socioeconomic drivers for Cr(VI) control in the future.

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Natural and man-made hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), in groundwater near a mapped plume, Hinkley, California—study progress as of May 2017, and a summative-scale approach to estimate background Cr(VI) concentrations

Cited by 12 publications

References 1 publication

Chromium in minerals and selected aquifer materials

Chromium in minerals and selected aquifer materials

Summary and conclusions

Hexavalent chromium in drinking water: Chemistry, challenges and future outlook on Sn(II)- and photocatalyst-based treatment

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