Abstract
Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are fully-fluorinated organic chemicals used to produce a wide range of industrial and commercial products. Their extreme persistence and mobility in the environment and nearly ubiquitous presence in humans and wildlife has raised serious concerns regarding their environmental and human health effects. In the 1940s to 1970s, PFC-bearing wastes were disposed of in three unlined landfills in Washington County, Minnesota. The resulting co-mingled PFC plumes created a “megaplume” that contaminated over 250 km2 of groundwater and four major drinking water aquifers; affecting eight municipal water supply systems and thousands of private wells. Site investigations revealed that karst features, particularly in the Prairie du Chien Group (OPDC), and groundwater-surface water interactions played a critical role in contaminant migration.
DOI
http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/9780991000951.1022
Karst Influence in the Creation of a PFC Megaplume
Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are fully-fluorinated organic chemicals used to produce a wide range of industrial and commercial products. Their extreme persistence and mobility in the environment and nearly ubiquitous presence in humans and wildlife has raised serious concerns regarding their environmental and human health effects. In the 1940s to 1970s, PFC-bearing wastes were disposed of in three unlined landfills in Washington County, Minnesota. The resulting co-mingled PFC plumes created a “megaplume” that contaminated over 250 km2 of groundwater and four major drinking water aquifers; affecting eight municipal water supply systems and thousands of private wells. Site investigations revealed that karst features, particularly in the Prairie du Chien Group (OPDC), and groundwater-surface water interactions played a critical role in contaminant migration.
