Role of the source to building lateral separation distance in petroleum vapor intrusion

A Review of Recent Vapor Intrusion Modeling Work

“…Later, Verginelli and Baciocchi (2014) developed a 1D analytical solution for risk‐based vertical screening distances for hydrocarbons compounds and estimated screening criteria in nearly all cases consistent with the empirical values defined by USEPA (2015). Using a 1D steady‐state VI analytical model, Verginelli et al (2016c) found that for cases involving lateral source‐building separation, 6 and 7 m distances are sufficient to attenuate petroleum vapors below risk‐based values for groundwater and soil sources, respectively. For sites characterized by ethanol gasoline vapor sources or significant methane generation, Yao et al (2015c) presented a 1D analytical PVI model that accounts for both advective and diffusive transport in soil gas and couples this with a piecewise first‐order aerobic biodegradation model, limited by oxygen availability.…”

Stable carbon and hydrogen isotope fractionation of volatile organic compounds caused by vapor-liquid equilibrium

“…Due to their high vapor pressure, VOCs are expected to volatilize from the immobilized NAPL and migrate by gas-phase diffusion through the soil porosity, thus forming gas-phase plumes. potentially posing threats to human health if entering buildings (so called vapor intrusion process) (Johnson and Ettinger, 1991;Verginelli et al, 2016) or contaminating sub laying groundwater resources (Grathwohl et al, 2003). Biodegradation and chemical oxidation are naturally occurring attenuation processes limiting gas-phase plume expansion by transforming VOCs into less harmful compounds (see Rivett et al (2011) for an extensive review of processes).…”

Numerical analysis of vapor intrusion from the ground into buildings in the presence of lateral sources of pollution

“…• Ignoring critical parameters: prediction of VI is complex and depends on the variability of numerous factors, including vapor source type (Abreu and Johnson, 2005;Shen and Suuberg, 2014;Yao et al, 2013b); vapor source concentration and chemical reactions (Abreu and Johnson, 2005;E DeVaull, 2007;Verginelli and Baciocchi, 2011); vapor source location relative to the building (S. Lowell and Eklund, 2004;Abreu and Johnson, 2005a;Verginelli et al, 2016;Yao et al, 2013a); and soil physical properties (Bozkurt et al, 2009;Pennell et al, 2009;Diallo et al, 2015). Unreasonable input values may lead to an unreasonable VI process assessment and thus misleading estimations of indoor concentrations.…”

“…There are only a few studies directed to lateral migrations (Little et al, 1992;S. Lowell and Eklund, 2004;Abreu and Johnson, 2005a;Yao et al, 2013a;Verginelli et al, 2016). The authors agree that lateral separation plays an important role in indoor gas concentration attenuation unlike homogenous source scenarios where the vapors attenuation is mostly associated with the source depth.…”