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Distribution of Chlorinated Volatile Organic Compounds and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Monitoring Wells at the Former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey, 2014–17

Open-File Report 2020-1105
Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Navy
By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201105

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Abstract

A study was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Navy (the Navy) to determine the status of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in groundwater at the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC) in West Trenton, New Jersey. Wells contaminated with VOCs were sampled in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 as part of the Navy’s long-term monitoring program. The results for trichloroethene (TCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethene (cisDCE), and vinyl chloride (VC) were plotted in map view to determine whether the areal extent of the contamination had changed over the 4-year period. TCE, cisDCE, and VC concentrations were plotted along nine lines of section across the former NAWC site to determine whether the vertical distribution of VOCs had changed during 2014–17. TCE, cisDCE, and VC concentrations over time were plotted on graphs for each well to determine long-term trends and changes in VOC concentrations. Data from 1990 to 2017 were used, if available, to make these graphs.

Results show that the areas of VOC concentrations greater than or equal to 1 microgram per liter decreased slightly on the northwestern side and the northeastern side of the NAWC site from 2014 to 2017 under the influence of a pump-and-treat system, natural attenuation processes, and engineered bioaugmentation experiments ongoing at the site. The pump-and-treat system continued to hydraulically contain the VOC contamination and kept it from moving offsite to the south and west of NAWC. One well northeast of the NAWC site, 50BR, was found to have detectable TCE and cisDCE concentrations. These detections indicated that VOC contamination had migrated offsite and that the pump-and-treat system was not containing the VOC contamination on the eastern side of the facility. Detectable VOC concentrations were present in wells as deep as 200 and 221 feet on the eastern and western sides of the NAWC site. TCE concentrations in most wells were found to be stable or to have slowly decreased since the facility closed in 1999. Only 7 wells, including 3 pump-and-treat extraction wells, showed substantial increases in TCE concentration from 2014 to 2017. Continuing sources of TCE to the system are desorption of TCE from organic materials in the aquifer, back diffusion of TCE from the contaminated bedrock matrix, and dissolution of remaining dense nonaqueous phase TCE in the aquifer.

Wells at the former NAWC site were sampled for PFASs in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) results were plotted in map and cross-section views to determine the areal and vertical extent of the PFAS contamination at the site. PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA concentrations greater than their established maximum contaminant levels were detected in 25, 24, and 21 of the 26 wells sampled, respectively, on the eastern side of NAWC in 2017. Vertically, the highest PFAS concentrations were present in shallow wells along the fence near the firehouse and along the railroad tracks where the aqueous film-forming foam discharge reportedly occurred back in 1990. PFAS concentrations were detected in one well (54BR) as deep as 200 feet on the eastern side of the NAWC site. PFASs were present in wells east of the railroad tracks, indicating that PFAS-contaminated groundwater had moved offsite. In a limited test of five wells, samples collected with regenerated cellulose dialysis membrane (RCDM) passive samplers contained PFAS concentrations equal to those in samples from low-flow purging.

Suggested Citation

Imbrigiotta, T.E., and Fiore, A.R., 2021, Distribution of chlorinated volatile organic compounds and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in monitoring wells at the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey, 2014–17: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2020–1105, 107 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20201105.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Acknowledgments
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Background
  • Methods
  • Results and Discussion
  • Summary and Conclusions
  • References Cited
  • Appendix 1. Descriptions of boreholes, well locations, and well construction at the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey
  • Appendix 2. Volatile organic compounds, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and 1,4-dioxane concentrations measured in samples from wells at the former Naval Air Warfare Center site, West Trenton, New Jersey, 1990–2017
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Distribution of chlorinated volatile organic compounds and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in monitoring wells at the former Naval Air Warfare Center, West Trenton, New Jersey, 2014–17
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2020-1105
DOI 10.3133/ofr20201105
Year Published 2021
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) New Jersey Water Science Center
Description Report: xii, 107 p.; Data Release; 4 Appendixes
Country United States
State New Jersey
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
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