Soil Contamination & Remediation Flashcards
7 cards from real CES practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Soil Contamination & Remediation flashcards as text
During a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment, which activity is typically performed?
Answer: Collection of soil and groundwater samples for laboratory analysis
Phase II ESAs involve intrusive investigation — collecting and analyzing environmental samples (soil, groundwater, soil gas) to confirm or characterize contamination identified or suspected in Phase I.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) persist in soil primarily because they:
Answer: Are hydrophobic and strongly sorb to soil organic matter, resisting biodegradation
PCBs are highly hydrophobic compounds that partition strongly onto soil organic matter and are resistant to microbial degradation, resulting in long environmental persistence.
In situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) using potassium permanganate is LEAST effective for treating which contaminant class?
Answer: Saturated chlorinated alkanes (e.g., TCA)
Potassium permanganate effectively oxidizes compounds with carbon-carbon double bonds (alkenes, aromatics) but reacts poorly with saturated chlorinated alkanes such as 1,1,1-TCA.
Which of the following describes a Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL)?
Answer: A chlorinated solvent denser than water that sinks through the saturated zone
DNAPLs, such as PCE and TCE, are denser than water and sink vertically through the unsaturated and saturated zones until they reach an impermeable layer, making them difficult to locate and remediate.
The concept of 'risk-based corrective action' (RBCA) for contaminated sites prioritizes:
Answer: Cleanup levels tied to site-specific exposure scenarios and acceptable risk levels
RBCA establishes site-specific cleanup standards based on actual exposure pathways, receptor populations, and target risk levels rather than applying universal background or detection-limit-based standards.
Which amendment to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) addressed the cleanup of releases from underground storage tanks?
Answer: Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) of 1984
The Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments (HSWA) of 1984 added Subtitle I to RCRA, establishing the federal underground storage tank (UST) regulatory program including leak detection and corrective action requirements.
Soil washing as a remediation technology works best when contaminants are:
Answer: Associated with the fine-grained fraction of soil (silt and clay)
Soil washing exploits size segregation — contaminants preferentially associate with fine particles (silt, clay), so separating and treating the fine fraction concentrates the contamination and reduces the volume requiring disposal.