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TCE use, storage and mitigation in groundwater

2004

Dear all

I am a PhD student in National Technical University of Athens in Greece. My subject is about "TCE groundwater remediation". Although I am working about a year about TCE bioremediation in the lab I do not have yet an integrated picture how TCE is used, stored and finally migrates to the groundwater environment. Is there any who use TCE as degreaser and could explain me how the TCE-route to the groundwater environment and which kind of industries use TCE.

Thank you in advance.

Iraklis Panagiotakis
PhD student - Athens, Greece

Spills or illegal dumps are the only way that I am familiar with.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2004

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TCE (trichloroethyelene) is mainly used as a degreaser, although it has in the past been used in surface treatment processes. It should never be deliberately dumped in the ground as it is extremely harmful to the environment and tends to screw up the ozone layer. The main ways TCE gets into the ground are by accidental spillages or by stupid idiots deliberately dumping it because they don't want to pay for its safe disposal. If it is by an accidental spillage, the local water and environmental authorities must be told immediately, so they can minimise the impact it will have. In other words, TCE should not occur in the ground unless someone has made a major misjudgement.

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
2004