A Multisite Survey To Identify the Scale of the 1,4-Dioxane Problem at Contaminated Groundwater Sites

Abstract

1,4-Dioxane (dioxane) is an emerging groundwater contaminant that has significant regulatory implications and potential remediation costs, but our current understanding of its occurrence and behavior is limited. This study used intensive data mining to identify and evaluate >2000 sites in California where groundwater has been impacted by chlorinated solvents and/or dioxane. Dioxane was detected at 194 of these sites, with 95% containing one or more chlorinated solvents. Dioxane frequently co-occurs with 1,1,1-trichloroethene (1,1,1-TCA) (76% of the study sites), but despite this, no dioxane analyses were conducted at 332 (67%) of the sites where 1,1,1-TCA was detected. At sites where dioxane has been identified, plumes are dilute but not large (median maximal concentration of 365 μg/L; median plume length of 269 m) and have been delineated to a similar extent as typically co-occurring chlorinated solvents. Furthermore, at sites where dioxane and chlorinated solvents co-occur, dioxane plumes are frequently shorter than the chlorinated solvent plumes (62%). The results suggest that dioxane has not migrated beyond chlorinated solvent plumes and existing monitoring networks at the majority of sites, and that the primary risk is the large number of sites where dioxane is likely to be present but has yet to be identified.

Kinetics and energy efficiency for the degradation of 1,4-dioxane by electro-peroxone process

“…Therefore, 1,4-dioxane has been frequently detected in industrial effluents and sewage wastewater [1,3,4]. Moreover, due to the improper disposal of industrial wastes, accidental solvent spills, and inefficiency of conventional wastewater treatment (e.g., biological treatment and adsorption) for 1,4-dioxone removal [1,2,5,6], 1,4-dioxane has now been increasingly identified in surface water, groundwater, and even drinking water [1,7]. The ubiquitous presence of 1,4-dioxane in the aquatic environment has raised increasing concern because it can pose significant threat to the ecosystem and human health.…”

“…The ubiquitous presence of 1,4-dioxane in the aquatic environment has raised increasing concern because it can pose significant threat to the ecosystem and human health. For example, previous research has indicated that 1,4-dioxane can cause kidney failure and liver damage, and is also a possible human carcinogen [1,2,7]. To protect water resources, 1,4-dioxane wastewater has to be sufficiently treated before it can be discharged into the environment.…”

Biodegradation of 1,4-dioxane: Effects of enzyme inducers and trichloroethylene

“…1,4-Dioxane, a common solvent stabilizer, has been detected along with trichloroethylene (TCE) and other solvents (Abe, 1999;USEPA, 2013) in groundwater and surface water across the United States and Science of the Total Environment 520 (2015) [154][155][156][157][158][159] Japan (Adamson et al, 2014;Anderson et al, 2012;Zenker et al, 2003). Limited 1,4-dioxane exposure can cause respiratory tract irritation, while chronic exposure can cause skin, liver, and kidney damages (USEPA, 2013).…”

Influence of Groundwater Constituents on 1,4-Dioxane Degradation by a Binary Oxidant System

“…Dioxane has been classified as a suspected human carcinogen (B2) (EPA 2000). As a widely used solvent stabilizer, dioxane commonly co-occurs with chlorinated contaminants, typically 1,1,1-trichloroethane (1,1,1-TCA), at contaminated sites (EPA 1995; IARC 1999; Adamson et al 2014; Adamson et al 2015). Dioxane is miscible in water, has low retardation, and generally low transformation potential, and thus is typically highly mobile in subsurface environments.…”

“…Dioxane is miscible in water, has low retardation, and generally low transformation potential, and thus is typically highly mobile in subsurface environments. Therefore, large groundwater contaminant plumes of dioxane often form, usually co-occurring with chlorinated-constituent plumes (Anderson et al 2012; EPA 2013; Adamson et al 2014; Adamson et al 2015). …”