Blacks Cleaners, Portland, Oregon

State Coalition for Remediation of Drycleaners Site Profiles

Description
Historical activity that resulted in contamination.

The Blacks dry cleaner facility site is located in a densely developed commercial/residential area in southeast Portland, Oregon. The site is bounded by commercial properties to the south and residential properties to the north, west, and east. Various dry cleaners have operated at the site since the early 1950s. Stoddard solvent was used until 1959, when perchloroethene (PCE) cleaning began. The facility continues to operate as a dry cleaning establishment. Releases of dry cleaning solvents are apparently due to historical disposal of lint and filter media out the back door, releases to subsurface through concrete beneath the dry cleaning machine, releases from sanitary sewer lines, and leaks from 2 former underground storage tanks.

Contaminants
Contaminants present and the highest amount detected in both soil and groundwater.

Contaminant	Media	Concentration (ppb)
cis-1,2-Dichloroethene	soil	10,900 ppb
cis-1,2-Dichloroethene	soil	10,900 ppb
No corresponding contaminant	soil	10,900 ppb
ethylbenzene	soil	10,900 ppb
free-phase Stoddard's Solvent	soil	10,900 ppb
Tetrachloroethene (PCE)	soil	10,900 ppb
Tetrachloroethene (PCE)	soil	10,900 ppb
1,2,4-trimethylbenzene	soil	10,900 ppb
1,3,5-trimethylbenzene	soil	10,900 ppb
Trichloroethene (TCE)	soil	10,900 ppb
Trichloroethene (TCE)	soil	10,900 ppb
Vinyl Chloride	soil	10,900 ppb
Vinyl Chloride	soil	10,900 ppb
xylenes	soil	10,900 ppb
	groundwater	12 ppb
	soil	3,990,000 ppb
	soil	91,600 ppb
	groundwater	180 ppb
	groundwater	35 ppb
	soil	140 ppb

Site Hydrology

Deepest Significant Groundwater Contamination:		20ft bgs
Plume Size:		Plume Length: 250ft Plume Width: 150ft Plume Thickness: 20ft
Average Depth to Groundwater:		9ft

Lithology and Subsurface Geology

		low permeability silty clay Depth: 0-9ft bgs 9ft thick Conductivity: 0.28ft/day Gradient: 0.08ft/ft
		silty sand Depth: 9-18ft bgs 9ft thick
		Coarse-grained gravels and sands Depth: 18ft bgs

Pathways and DNAPL Presence

Groundwater

Sediments

Soil

DNAPL Present

Remediation Scenario

Cleanup Goals:		Cleanup goals for soil and groundwater will primarily be based on vapor intrusion into buildings. Preliminary remediation goals for groundwater approximately 1.3 ppm for PCE, 110 ppb for TCE and 20 ppb vinyl chloride. Soil goals are 1.5 ppm PCE, and 0.098 ppm for TCE
Remedy Level:		Interim Action

Technologies

in Situ Bioremediation		Why the technology was selected: Removal action unable to achieve removal of source material beneath building. Dense development and access constraints limit use of SVE or other typical remedial approaches. Date implemented: Full-scale in-situ bioremediation removal action initated in summer 2002, and several additional events completed since that time. The last event was completed in 2010. Date completed: 2010 Final remediation design: System includeed three horizontal injection points beneath building footprint, horizontal injection system in former source area behind building, and several vertical injection wells between dry cleaner faciliity and adjacent apartment building. System was augmented by direct push injections. Other technologies used: CL-Out BioRem H-10 NutriChlor Newman Zone Results to date: Bioremediation has virtually eliminated PCE and TCE: bulk of contamination remaining is CIS-DCE. Air monitoring has demonstrated protective levels in site building and also nearby residences. Site is ready for closure. Next Steps: Administrative activities to prepare for and implement site closure. Cost to Design and Implement: all technologies: $425,000
in Situ Chemical Oxidation		Why the technology was selected: Removal action unable to achieve removal of source material beneath building. Dense development and access constraints limit use of SVE or other typical remedial approaches. Date implemented: Full-scale in-situ bioremediation removal action initated in summer 2002, and several additional events completed since that time. The last event was completed in 2010. Date completed: 2010 Final remediation design: System includeed three horizontal injection points beneath building footprint, horizontal injection system in former source area behind building, and several vertical injection wells between dry cleaner faciliity and adjacent apartment building. System was augmented by direct push injections. Other technologies used: CL-Out BioRem H-10 NutriChlor Newman Zone Results to date: Bioremediation has virtually eliminated PCE and TCE: bulk of contamination remaining is CIS-DCE. Air monitoring has demonstrated protective levels in site building and also nearby residences. Site is ready for closure. Next Steps: Administrative activities to prepare for and implement site closure. Cost to Design and Implement: all technologies: $425,000
in Situ Soil Removal		Why the technology was selected: Removal action unable to achieve removal of source material beneath building. Dense development and access constraints limit use of SVE or other typical remedial approaches. Date implemented: Full-scale in-situ bioremediation removal action initated in summer 2002, and several additional events completed since that time. The last event was completed in 2010. Date completed: 2010 Final remediation design: System includeed three horizontal injection points beneath building footprint, horizontal injection system in former source area behind building, and several vertical injection wells between dry cleaner faciliity and adjacent apartment building. System was augmented by direct push injections. Results to date: Bioremediation has virtually eliminated PCE and TCE: bulk of contamination remaining is CIS-DCE. Air monitoring has demonstrated protective levels in site building and also nearby residences. Site is ready for closure. Next Steps: Administrative activities to prepare for and implement site closure. Cost to Design and Implement: all technologies: $425,000
in Situ Chemical Oxidation		Why the technology was selected: Removal action unable to achieve removal of source material beneath building. Dense development and access constraints limit use of SVE or other typical remedial approaches. Next Steps: Administrative activities to prepare for and implement site closure. Cost to Design and Implement: all technologies: $425,000
ex Situ Soil Removal		Why the technology was selected: Removal action unable to achieve removal of source material beneath building. Dense development and access constraints limit use of SVE or other typical remedial approaches. Next Steps: Administrative activities to prepare for and implement site closure. Cost to Design and Implement: all technologies: $425,000

Costs

Cost for Assessment:		$139,000
Cost for Operation and Maintenance:		None
Total Costs for Cleanup:		$564,000

Lessons Learned

Cis-DCE apparently had adsorbed to residual stoddard solvent,and stalled reductive dechlorianation. Some source areas appear to remain in vadose zone and are not directly addressed with GW treatment, but appears to have displaced DNAPL lower into water column where more robust reductive dechlorination could occur.

Also, the operating dry cleaner, before switching to a non-PCE solvent, was the likely source of low level PCE as opposed to soil gas and vapor intrusion.

Contacts

Mark Pugh
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
2020 SW 4th Avenue, Suite 400
Portland, OR 97201

EMAIL:Pugh.mark@deq.state.or.us

Site Specific References

Expanded Vapor Assessment Report, August 24, 2005,

Bioremediation Substrate Recommendation
Blacks Cleaners
4615 SE Hawthorne Boulevard
Portland, Oregon
Task Order No. 59-08-22, July 17, 2009.

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