Contaminant Chemistry and Transport in Soil and Groundwater - An Overview of Petroleum, Chlorinated Hydrocarbon, and Metal Behavior in the Environment
Course I.D. CHEM-403B (Course 2 of 3 in a Series)
April 1-2,
2008, 8:30 A.M. to 5 P.M. (2 Day)
Courtyard by Marriott
Bitterroot Room
4559 North Reserve Street
Missoula, MT

This workshop has been rescheduled. It will be held September 24-25, 2008 at the same location.
Please visit this page for details.



Instructor: Erick McWayne, Northwest Environmental Training Center


Register Online | Course Catalog | Accommodations | Directions
Description: This course provides participants with an overview of key concepts essential to understanding environmental contamination and provides a fundamental understanding of the release and transport of chemicals in soil and groundwater. This material is intended for environmental professionals who are not chemists, but who require a fundamental understanding of contaminant behavior and monitoring parameters for their work. This course is recommended for all environmental professionals working with contaminated soil and water with minimal formal training in this subject. The course material will greatly enhance on-the-job training. It is also recommended for project managers seeking a review of the subject.

Course Topics:

Contaminant Chemistry Overview Vapor Transport
- Functional Groups, Chemical Properties, and Hazards - Vapor Pressure, Solubility, Molecular Weight, and Vapor Density

Transport Mechanisms

- Contact Surface and Henry's Law Partitioning
- Advection - Vapor Diffusion and Air-Filled Porosity
- Mechanical Dispersion Natural Attenuation
- Diffusion (Chemical Dispersion) - Overview of Natural Attenuation Processes
Contaminant Solubility Rules - Biodegradation Pathways for Common Contaminants
- Molecular Geometry Focus on Metals Contamination
- Effective Solubility - pH and Mobility
3- and 4-Phase Equilibrium Partitioning - Dissolved and Particulate Forms
- Adsorption and Absorption - Cation Exchange
- Definitions of Kd, Koc, foc, Kow, and KH - Complexation, Chelation, and Ligands
- NAPL One Percent Rule - Hydrated Metals as Acids
- Molar Fraction Calculations Focus on Hydrocarbon Contamination
- Contaminant Mass Fraction Calculation - Gasoline and Diesel Chemistry
- Residual Saturation Calculation - BTEX, Additives, and Other Potential Concerns
Groundwater Transport - Cosolvation
- Hydrogeology Review - Plume Behavior
- Three Point Problem - Geochemical Indicators
- Groundwater Velocity Calculations Focus on Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Contamination
- Retardation and Solute Velocity Calculations - Chlorinated Solvent Chemistry
Nonaqueous Phase Liquid (NAPL) Transport - Reductive Dechlorination
- Capillary Fringe Interactions and Smear Zones - Plume Behavior
- Estimating LNAPL Thickness from Well Free Product - Geochemical Indicators
- Estimating DNAPL Critical Height Summary and Review
This course is part of a series and is preceded by the Fundamental Contaminant Chemistry Workshop (CHEM-403A), March 31, 2008, and immediately followed by Monitored Natural Attenuation of Petroleum and Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Soil and Groundwater (GHYD-410), April 3-4, 2008. Attendees may register for any of these courses individually or the whole series, and a discount applies when registering for more than one course in a series. Courses will begin each day at 8:30 A.M. and end at 5 P.M. Attendees will be given the opportunity to apply the course material during hands on exercises offered throughout the course.

After completing this course, participants will be able to:

- Understand basic soil and groundwater chemistry
- Calculate chemical partitioning
- Understand the significance of temperature, redox potential, pH, DO, and other monitoring parameters
- Apply soil chemistry principles to soil investigations
- Apply water chemistry principles to groundwater investigations
- Understand the chemical and biological aspects of natural attenuation
- Estimate partitioning coefficients and calculate solute average linear velocity
- Demonstrate an improved overall understanding of environmental chemistry

About the Instructor: Mr. McWayne has extensive experience with soil, groundwater, and geophysical investigations for the characterization of contaminant transport and fate. As an environmental consultant, Mr. McWayne served as a project manager for remedial investigation and feasibility studies at numerous Department of Defense and other client sites, conducted environmental compliance audits, and performed pollution prevention audits and siting studies for electrical power plants. He currently serves as Executive Director of the Northwest Environmental Training Center and teaches workshops in transport and fate, environmental chemistry, and hydrogeology across the country.

Education Level: Introductory to intermediate.

Prerequisites: Completion of CHEM-403A - Fundamental Contaminant Chemistry workshop, equivalent course work, or on-the-job experience.

Course Materials: Each participant will receive a copy of the course proceedings including notes and reference material.

Continuing Education Units: 1.3 CEUs

What to Bring: Scientific calculator, mechanical pencil, coffee mug and water bottle (to reduce waste). Please wear comfortable clothing appropriate for the prevailing weather.

Registration: $495 ($395 for Native American Tribes; nonprofits; government employees; students; and NAEP, NEBC, and NWAEP members). An additional discount applies when registering for CHEM-403A, CHEM-403B and GHYD-410. You may register via the link below or by calling the Northwest Environmental Training Center at 206-762-1976.

Cancellation Policy: Registration fees are fully refundable up to 30 days prior to the event and 50 percent refundable (or 100% credit) thereafter up to 3 business days prior to the event. No refunds are issued for cancellations occurring less than 3 business days before the start day. Course registration fees and cancellation policy are subject to change without notice.

Disability Accommodations: To request disability accommodations, please contact us at info@nwetc.org or (206) 762-1976 at least 30 days prior to the event.



To find out more about NWETC's programs send us an email.

Northwest Environmental Training Center
A nonprofit 501(c)(3) program of the Northwest Environmental Education Council
650 S. Orcas Street, Suite 220, Seattle, Washington 98108
Phone: (206)762-1976, Fax: (206)762-1979
www.nwetc.org