Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1983

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Environmental Engineering

Major Professor

R. Bruce Robinson

Committee Members

Gregory D. Reed, Roger A. Minear, Bruce A. Tschantz

Abstract

A study was conducted in Tennessee to determine if there is a problem with groundwater pollution by volatile organic compounds, specifically trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), and methyl chloroform (MC).

Groundwater samples were taken in Knox and Rutherford Counties and Davidson County wells near the Rutherford County border because of the favorable conditions for possible groundwater contamination by these Samples were also taken in Blount, Cocke, Hamblen, Hawkins, Jefferson, Sevier, and Sullivan Counties at public water supplies using groundwater as a raw water source.

Based on the limited sampling conducted in this study, there appear to be reasons for concern with groundwater contamination in Tennessee by volatile organic compounds. compounds. The information provided in the literature review points towards industrialized urban and nearby surrounding areas as the places where groundwater contamination by TCE, PCE, and/or MC has and can be found. The results of the groundwater testing in east and middle Tennessee tend to reinforce this argument. Of the 15 groundwater sources sampled and analyzed for TCE, PCE, and MC in industrial and urban areas, 6 were found to contain 1 or more of the compounds at levels of 0.1 μg/1 or more (40 percent of the sources tested), these compounds were found in groundwater from rural area sources above And no relationship between TCE, PCE, and/or MC contamination and well depth or dissolved oxygen concentration was found to develop. None of 0.1 μg/1.

Five public water supplies in three counties were found to contain a dozen or more unidentified compounds (not TCE, PCE, or MC). The same compounds appear to be located in a chlorine reservoir (used to store chlorine for addition to the water line for disinfection) on one of the sites. It is not known whether the compounds are toxic to humans or not.

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