Washington State Department of Ecology

Publication Summary

Title

American Plating Post-Interim-Action Groundwater Monitoring Results, February and August 2004

Month-Year Published

November 2004

Online Availability

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Short Description

Groundwater samples for dissolved metals, WAD cyanide, and volatile organics were collected in February and August 2004 from the former American Plating site in Tacoma to provide post-interim-action groundwater data.

Dissolved chromium, copper, and nickel were detected in the groundwater. Nickel concentrations exceeded the groundwater cleanup level of 8.2 ug/L, with concentrations ranging from 8.6 to 62.2 ug/L. Chromium concentrations in February ranged from 8.2 to 30.9 ug/L, increasing significantly in August to 24 to 71 ug/L. WAD cyanide was not detected in any of the wells. Several VOCs were detected in one well, but at concentrations near or below the reporting limit.

(Also see abstract below)

Publication Number

04-03-052

Author(s)

Marti, P.

Print Availability

Request from the program.

Number of pages

16 p.

Keywords

chromium, cleanup, copper, groundwater, monitoring, results, samples, toxic, toxics, toxics cleanup, water, wells

Subject Waterbodies

Thea Foss

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Abstract

Long Description

Groundwater samples for select dissolved metals (cadmium, chromium, copper, and nickel), weak acid dissociable cyanide, and volatile organic compounds were collected from five monitoring wells in February and August 2004 at the former American Plating site in Tacoma, Washington. Samples were collected to provide the Department of Ecology′s Toxics Cleanup Program with post-interim-action groundwater monitoring data.

Dissolved chromium, copper, and nickel were detected in groundwater at the site in both February and August.

Nickel was detected in all five wells, with concentrations ranging from 4.4 to 62.2 ug/L. Nickel concentrations exceeded the groundwater cleanup level of 8.2 ug/L in wells MW-3, MW-5, and MW-10.

Copper concentrations were below the cleanup level of 3.1 ug/L in all five wells.

In February, chromium concentrations ranged from 8.2 to 30.9 ug/L. In August, chromium concentrations increased in all five wells, ranging from 24 to 71 ug/L. No groundwater cleanup level has been established for chromium at this site; however, concentrations reported in wells MW-4 (55 ug/L) and MW-5 (71 ug/L) in August exceeded the state surface water quality standards for protection of aquatic organisms in marine waters for acute exposure to hexavalent chromium of 50 ug/L. It is not possible to determine with the available data which form of chromium is present or to establish the reason for the increase in concentrations.

Because dissolved nickel exceeded the established groundwater cleanup standard during both monitoring rounds, some level of monitoring should continue. Future monitoring should be modified to determine which form of chromium, trivalent or hexavalent, is present in the groundwater.

Link to EIM data for User Study ID AMRPLATE

This page last updated November 6, 2009