Vapor Intrusion Assessment in Contaminated Environments
Summary
Vapor intrusion assessment examines the transport of volatile chemicals from contaminated soil or groundwater into overlying buildings, posing potential health risks through indoor air exposure. The process is controlled by subsurface conditions—including contaminant source strength, soil heterogeneity, groundwater fluctuations and natural attenuation—and by building characteristics such as foundation type, ventilation rate and crack distribution. Effective assessment integrates direct measurements of soil gas and indoor air, screening models to estimate attenuation from subsurface to interior spaces, and numerical simulations that capture diffusion and advection under dynamic hydrological conditions. Recent advances emphasise the need for site-specific conceptual models, improved sensor technologies for continuous monitoring, and coupling of natural source zone depletion estimates with intrusion predictions. Such approaches inform risk-based decision-making, guide targeted remediation, and underpin regulatory frameworks worldwide.
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Vapor Intrusion Assessment in Contaminated Environments publication trend
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Technical terms
Vapor intrusion: Migration of volatile chemicals from subsurface contamination into indoor air.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): Organic chemicals with sufficient vapour pressure to exist partly as gas at ambient temperature.
Light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL): Hydrocarbon liquid in subsurface that is immiscible with groundwater and can serve as a persistent vapour source.
Subslab soil gas attenuation factor (SSAF): Ratio of contaminant concentration in indoor air to that in the soil gas immediately beneath a building slab.
Natural source zone depletion (NSZD): Combined physical, chemical and biological processes in the subsurface that reduce mass of contaminant source zones over time.
Indoor air exchange rate (IAER): Volume of indoor air replaced per unit time, governing dilution of infiltrating vapours.
References
- Overview of Natural Source Zone Depletion: Processes, Controlling Factors, and Composition Change. Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation (2017).
- Estimation of Generic Subslab Attenuation Factors for Vapor Intrusion Investigations. Groundwater Monitoring & Remediation (2014).
- Risk-Based Evaluation of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Vapor Intrusion Studies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2013).
- How Does the Periodic Groundwater Table Fluctuation Impact on Chlorinated Vapor Intrusion?. Geofluids (2021).
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