18    TECHNOLOGY SELECTION FOR CLEAN-UP OF
CHLORINATED SOLVENTS IN SOIL AND
GROUNDWATER
Steven Fesko, Senior Project Manager
Eaton Corporation
32500 Chardon Road
Willoughby Hills, Ohio 44094
BACKGROUND
Eaton Corporation operates a manufacturing facility in a Detroit, Michigan suburb. Extensive soil
and groundwater investigation from 1985 through 1991 showed that historic site practices impacted
the environment. These practices included the release of small volumes of halogenated hydrocarbons
directly to the site. As a result, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) listed the
facility on the Act 307 list of contaminated sites (Michigan equivalent of a Superfund listing). Eaton
stopped using chlorinated solvents and removed all source material from the facility.
SUMMARY
The MDNR Act 307 regulation established timing and clean-up criteria for contaminated sites.
Eaton teamed with the State Agency to conduct a voluntarily clean-up before any mandated Act 307
requirements. This included the investigation of six alternatives for the removal of contaminants from
the soil/water matrix. Additionally, Eaton conducted a literature search and reviewed Agency files to
evaluate information on treatment technologies. This review showed an interceptor trench coupled
with an air stripper as the least costly and most effective alternative. Currently, Eaton operates this
treatment system and plans to seek a risk based environmental closure.
SITE DESCRIPTION
The site consists of about 2.5 acres located in an area zoned for mixed residential/light industrial
use. The site contains only 2 feet of relief and is bounded on all sides by private property (see Figure
1). Additionally, the affected area is located almost entirely beneath a building, a surrounding
blacktop driveway and parking lot.
The subsurface geology contains irregular and inconsistent glacial deposits. These deposits include
mostly silts and clays with small sand and gravel seams. Groundwater, which occurs from near the
surface to a maximum depth of 8 feet, flows in these sand and gravel zones. Groundwater moves at
low horizonal velocities (about 0.03 feet/day). Based on monitoring data, the horizonal migration of
groundwater extends north and northeast, generally in the direction of a surface water retention basin
(pond) located offsite (see Figure 1).
DISCUSSION
Soil/Groundwater Contamination
Analyses show that twelve organic contaminants exist in the soil and groundwater at the site. These
contaminants include the following chlorinated solvents: chloroform, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1-
dichloroethene, cis + trans-1,2-dichIoroethene, tetrachloroethene, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, trichloro-
ethene, vinyl chloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane. MDNR classifies vinyl chloride, tetrachloroethene and
trichloroethene as human carcinogens. Table I shows contaminant ranges seen in groundwater and
soils.
Figure 2 outlines the boundaries of the contaminated soils and groundwater.
49th Purdue Industrial Waste Conference Proceedings, 1994 Lewis Publishers, Chelsea, Michigan 48118. Printed in
U.S.A.
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