FMC Newark CA, EDB Cap Area Treatability Study

FMC manufactured chemicals on several parcels of its property in Newark, California from 1929 through 1995. Chemicals manufactured at various times included quick lime, bromine, Ethylene Dibromide (a soil fumigant), magnesia compounds, phosphates, and phosphoric acid. The bromine towers, EDB plant, and magnesia plant were shut down and the manufacturing facilities were removed in 1968. The phosphate plant and phosphoric acid plant were shut down in 1994 and 1995, respectively. All manufacturing facilities were removed by the end of 1996. FMC’s activities at the site currently consist solely of maintaining engineered asphalt caps at the former EDB plant (EDB Cap Area) and the phosphorus storage pit areas, and continued operation of a groundwater remediation and monitoring system. ERM contracted with KEMRON ATG to perform an ISS, Slurry Wall, and Chemical treatment treatability study. The concentrations of the contaminants of concern were up to 10x IDLH conditions. KEMRON Applied Technologies Group (ATG) designed and built a negative pressure treatability room with supplied air (Level B) capabilities to perform the treatability study. The environmental room was constructed and ready for operations in eight business days. The objectives of this highly complex study included:

1. Evaluate potential remedial technologies to determine which are viable based on EDB Cap Area physical and chemical characteristics of soil, DNAPL, and groundwater in the source zone parcels and down gradient parcels
2. Evaluate slurry wall amendments mix designs for down gradient locations
3. Evaluate the potential for grout slurry wall incompatibilities resulting from the geochemical (saline/brackish conditions) and chemical constituents in the targeted site soil and groundwater
4. Determine the hydraulic conductivity resulting from various slurry wall mixes
5. Evaluate solidification/stabilization reagents capable of improving strength of materials and reducing the permeability of the source zone soils
6. Evaluate solidification/stabilization reagents capable of reducing leachate generated by the new EPA LEAF (EPA 1315) Method while implementing an innovative proprietary sampling methodology modification to this EPA method developed by KEMRON
7. Reduce the COC mass in soil and groundwater through chemical treatment
8. Evaluate which amendment is most effective at reducing concentration/leachate of all primary COCs without mobilizing naturally occurring metals
9. Evaluate effectiveness of chemical oxidant/reductant reagents in combination with ISS amendment at reducing COC/leachate concentrations.

The treatability study successfully achieved the objectives of the study.