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Final Progress Reports: Brown University: Indoor Air Concentration Dynamics and Vapor Intrusion

Superfund Research Program

Indoor Air Concentration Dynamics and Vapor Intrusion

Project Leader: Eric M. Suuberg
Grant Number: P42ES013660
Funding Period: 2009-2021

Project-Specific Links

Final Progress Reports

Year:   2020  2014 

The Indoor Air Concentration Dynamics and Vapor Intrusion Project developed an engineering computational modeling tool describing the phenomenon of vapor intrusion (VI). VI involves release from groundwater of vapor contaminants (e.g., chlorinated solvents, petroleum compounds) that enter buildings built on the contaminated sites. The processes can be complex and having a tool that can be used alongside traditional field measurements provides more confidence that the problem is correctly understood and also helps guide when the intrusive and expensive measurements are needed. The model has led the way to development of a new spreadsheet tool for evaluating contaminated sites. The model is now also being used to help guide design of systems that help mitigate exposures in vapor intrusion scenarios. In addition, some related laboratory measurements have been conducted to indicate the degree to which adsorption of a VI contaminant (trichloroethylene) onto indoor surfaces can influence measured results.

This project has also studied removal of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from drinking water, using sorption to activated carbon. PFASs often co-occur in groundwater with the chlorinated solvents relevant to this project. The factors defining useful carbons were systematically assessed, and results obtained showed that only certain ranges of porosity can be effective in removing PFAS from water. This portion of the project is also looking more generally at the thermodynamic properties of common PFAS and their mixtures. Eric Suuberg, Ph.D., has received funding from the SERDP program of DoD on the Chemical Kinetics for the Thermal Destruction of Perfluoroalkyl Alkyl Substances.

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