Site Closure: Environmentally Acceptable Endpoints for Petroleum Hydrocarbon Impacted Soils

Robert L. Huddleston and Jeffery D. Meyers

Site closure requirements for petroleum hydrocarbon impacted soils are currently based on rigorous solvent extraction of the soils. This approach to site closure ignores natural mechanisms which sequester organic materials in soils. These processes can eliminate, or greatly reduce, the mobility and availability of chemicals and thereby their risk to human health and the environment.

A more appropriate way to evaluate the environmental threat of an impacted soil is to establish the "Environmentally Acceptable Endpoint" - EAE. EAE is the threshold concentration of chemicals in the soil below which there is no unacceptable risk to human health or the environment. Sequestration can strongly influence the EAE.

In May, 1955 the Gas Research Institute convened an expert workshop to review EAE as related to petroleum HC. It was concluded that sequestration and EAE are scientifically sound principles, and should be considered in evaluating site closure. It was also concluded that more data are needed to clarify specific aspects of petroleum HC EAE.

A comprehensive research effort has been initiated under the Petroleum Environmental Research Forum (PERF) umbrella. This effort will generate data required to allow broader acceptance and application of this appropriate, scientifically sound, and cost effective approach for closure of petroleum HC impacted sites.

AAPG Search and Discover Article #91019©1996 AAPG Convention and Exhibition 19-22 May 1996, San Diego, California