The application of petroleum hydrocarbon fingerprint characterization in site investigation and remediation

Tremendous resources have been and continue to be spent investigating and remediating petroleum hydrocarbon compounds (PHCs) in soil and ground water. Investigating and planning a remedial strategy for sites affected by PHCs is often a challenging task because of the complex chemical nature of the PHCs, the complex regulatory environment related to PHC cleanup, and the use of analytical methods that provide quantitation but not identification f PHCs. From a technical standpoint, the PHC impacting soil and/or ground water is frequently inadequately characterized, both in identification as well as in its general properties (solubility, toxicity). From a regulatory standpoint, promulgated or recommended total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) cleanup levels generally relate to assumed properties of specific unweathered products and are inconsistent among different agencies and regions. Accurately identifying the PHC and its nature, a process known as fingerprint characterization, is critical to the determination of appropriate regulatory goals and design of cost-effective remedial approaches. This paper presents several case studies in which fingerprint characterization made a significant difference in the project outcome