Volatile organic compounds in the nation's ground water and drinking-water supply wells

Zogorski, John S.; Carter, Janet M.; Ivahnenko, Tamara; Lapham, Wayne W.; Moran, Michael; Rowe, Barbara L.; Squillace, Paul J.; Toccalino, Patricia L.

doi:10.3133/cir1292

Cited by 119 publications

(111 citation statements)

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“…Land use was classified using an “enhanced” version of the satellite‐derived (30‐m pixel resolution), nationwide USGS National Land Cover Dataset (Vogelmann et al 2001; Price et al 2003). This dataset has been used in previous national and regional studies relating land use to water quality (Gilliom et al 2006; Zogorski et al 2006). The data represent land use during approximately the early 1990s.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Groundwater Development on Uranium: Central Valley, California, USA

et al. 2010

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Uranium (U) concentrations in groundwater in several parts of the eastern San Joaquin Valley, California, have exceeded federal and state drinking water standards during the last 20 years. The San Joaquin Valley is located within the Central Valley of California and is one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world. Increased irrigation and pumping associated with agricultural and urban development during the last 100 years have changed the chemistry and magnitude of groundwater recharge, and increased the rate of downward groundwater movement. Strong correlations between U and bicarbonate suggest that U is leached from shallow sediments by high bicarbonate water, consistent with findings of previous work in Modesto, California. Summer irrigation of crops in agricultural areas and, to lesser extent, of landscape plants and grasses in urban areas, has increased P co 2 concentrations in the soil zone and caused higher temperature and salinity of groundwater recharge. Coupled with groundwater pumping, this process, as evidenced by increasing bicarbonate concentrations in groundwater over the last 100 years, has caused shallow, young groundwater with high U concentrations to migrate to deeper parts of the groundwater system that are tapped by public-supply wells. Continued downward migration of U-affected groundwater and expansion of urban centers into agricultural areas will likely be associated with increased U concentrations in public-supply wells. The results from this study illustrate the potential longterm effects of groundwater development and irrigation-supported agriculture on water quality in arid and semiarid regions around the world.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Groundwater Development on Uranium: Central Valley, California, USA

et al. 2010

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“…Many of these xenobiotic compounds interact with plants because the physical and chemical properties of the compounds impart solubility in water and, therefore, the compounds move readily through the hydrologic cycle-for example, chloroform is the most frequently detected volatile organic compound in ambient groundwater (Zogorski et al 2006). Such chemicals are derived synthetically, such as the chlorinated insecticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), or as a consequence of other processes such as the production of chloroform during water purification, and often have no natural source.…”

Section: Albert Einsteinmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Assessments of the shallow groundwater resources of the United States by the USGS as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) have revealed that the most commonly detected volatile organic compound in shallow, ambient groundwater is chloroform, also known as trichloromethane (Zogorski et al 2006). Chloroform detection in groundwater is attributed to the recharge of previously chlorinated drinking or waste water.…”

Section: Allelopathy and Plant-chemical Warfarementioning

confidence: 99%

Introduction to Phytoremediation of Contaminated Groundwater

Landmeyer

2012

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2011937578# Springer ScienceþBusiness Media B.V. 2012 No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Cover image: # 2011 JupiterImages CorporationPrinted on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com) The deeper the roots, the higher the reach To Lori, Kaylee, and Ava-May our roots always find deep water.. Preface "Nature is driven by water"Leonardo da Vinci (from Richter 1888)Groundwater is one of our most important natural resources. Groundwater provides drinking water to more than 50% of the population of the United States. This fact may not surprise a domestic-well owner, but may surprise municipal water customers who drink tap water supplied by wells. A greater percentage of the population in other countries, particularly in the developing world, relies on groundwater. Groundwater usually requires minimal treatment prior to drinking as groundwater is filtered during flow through porous sediments. Moreover, groundwater can be decades to thousands of years old and, therefore, contain precipitation that fell long before the production and release of modern-day contaminants.These facts do not imply groundwater is protected from contamination. On the contrary, groundwater resources can be more vulnerable to contamination than surface water. For example, contaminant sources may be located a short vertical distance above shallow groundwater that typically is discharged to surface water or pumped by wells after only a few years in the subsurface with correspondingly little time for contaminant cleansing to occur. Alternatively, the slow groundwater-flow rates characteristic of deep groundwater means that contamination will take more time to be discharged from aquifers. In both cases, contamination of groundwater should be avoided if at all possible. If contamination occurs, remediation of groundwater to pre-contamination conditions should be accomplished as efficiently, as quickly, and as cost effectively as possible to ensure that current and future demands on the groundwater resource can be met.Phytoremediation is one of many potential alternatives that can be used to restore contaminated groundwater. In general, phytoremediation is the use of living organisms-plantsto restore contaminated environments to less harmful levels. It is commonly accepted that plants have the potential to cleanse the air, such as taking in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and releasing oxygen (O 2 ). But plants also have the potential to cleanse water. This is because water controls all aspects of plant survival; a glance at the waterless and plantless moon quickly confirms this statement. From seed to maturit...

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“…The occurrence of VOCs in aquifers provides important water‐quality information because of the widespread, large, and increasing use of ground water for drinking water (Zogorski et al. , 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 2006, the NAWQA Program released updated findings and conclusions from the assessment of VOCs in ground water and drinking‐water supply wells. The scope of the assessment, salient occurrence findings, and detailed information for the more frequently detected VOCs are described in USGS Circular 1292 (Zogorski et al. , 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occurrence of Volatile Organic Compounds in Aquifers of the United States¹

Carter

Lapham

Zogorski

2008

J American Water Resour Assoc

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Samples of ambient ground water were collected during 1985-2002 from 3,498 wells in 98 aquifer studies throughout the United States. None of the sampled wells were selected because of prior knowledge of nearby contamination. Most of these samples were analyzed for 55 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to characterize their national occurrence. Volatile organic compounds were found in samples collected from 90 of the 98 aquifer studies. Occurrence frequencies of one or more VOCs for the 98 aquifer studies ranged from 0 to about 77% at an assessment level of 0.2 microgram per liter (lg ⁄ l). The aquifer studies with the largest occurrence frequencies were in southern Florida, southern New York, southern California, New Jersey, and Nevada. Trihalomethanes and solvents were the most frequently occurring VOC groups. Of the 55 VOCs included in this assessment, 42 occurred in at least one sample at an assessment level of 0.2 lg ⁄ l. Chloroform, perchloroethene, and methyl tert-butyl ether were the most frequently occurring VOCs. Many factors, such as the hydrogeology of the aquifer, use of VOCs, land use, and the transport and fate properties of VOCs, affect the occurrence of VOCs in ground water.(KEY TERMS: volatile organic compounds; aquifers; ground water; transport and fate; ground water management.)

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Volatile organic compounds in the nation's ground water and drinking-water supply wells

Abstract: High quality water is more than the dream of the conservationists, more than a political slogan; high quality water, in the right quantity at the right place at the right time, is essential to health, recreation, and economic growth."

Cited by 119 publications

References 45 publications

Effects of Groundwater Development on Uranium: Central Valley, California, USA

Effects of Groundwater Development on Uranium: Central Valley, California, USA

Introduction to Phytoremediation of Contaminated Groundwater

Occurrence of Volatile Organic Compounds in Aquifers of the United States¹

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Volatile organic compounds in the nation's ground water and drinking-water supply wells

Abstract: High quality water is more than the dream of the conservationists, more than a political slogan; high quality water, in the right quantity at the right place at the right time, is essential to health, recreation, and economic growth."

Cited by 119 publications

References 45 publications

Effects of Groundwater Development on Uranium: Central Valley, California, USA

Effects of Groundwater Development on Uranium: Central Valley, California, USA

Introduction to Phytoremediation of Contaminated Groundwater

Occurrence of Volatile Organic Compounds in Aquifers of the United States1

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Occurrence of Volatile Organic Compounds in Aquifers of the United States¹