Leakage Underground Storage Tanks - Research Paper Example

Sur July 16, Effects of Ground Water Contamination from Leaking Underground Fuel Tanks Introduction: The present study focuses on learning about the ground water contamination that occurs due to leaking underground storage tanks (USTs) having significant effects on human beings and animals. Leakage of the USTs have proved to be a matter of serious concerns particularly in countries like America, where several states have recorded such contamination and their harmful effects in the environment. Toxic materials like gasoline and oil that may cause cancer and other harmful diseases in humans and animals are held and used by the USTs. These toxins are released silently into the drinking water supplied in the houses, or workplaces thus creating significant threats to living (Leakage Underground Storage Tanks: A Threat to Public Health and Environment, 1). The study has included detailed learning on the overview of the prevailing problem of ground water contamination due to leaking USTs, the administrative systems and their failure to protect the supplied drinking water, the slowdowns in the processes of cleanups, the dangerous chemicals that are leaked and thus the harmful effects and vulnerability of humans and animals, discussion on few reported cases like Michigan and California, as well as understanding of some probable solutions to the problem. The study is based on the existing literature. However, it can be understood that there are still certain gaps in the studies since the studies have not been able to reach out to conclusions and recommendations that might prove beneficial to the removal of the problem. The current study will try to focus on the existing studies and try to determine the current status of the problem with probable solutions for a safer environment. Method: The study has been based on secondary research. The sources that have been used are from the existing literatures. A qualitative analysis has been conducted along with inclusion of certain statistical data that represent the status of the ground water contamination due to UST leakage, as the topic of concern is. Several researches have been made by eminent authors and organizations on the effects of such contamination on humans and animals that have been considered for this particular study. These include studies conducted by the Sierra Club, by New South Wales Government, by Alabama Cooperative Extension System, as well as by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Studies of authors like Nadim et al, have also been considered. Also, few books have been discussed for the study, along with cases reported at Michigan and California that reflect on the experiences of such ground water contamination. Ethical factors have been duly considered while making use of existing literature and drawing analysis and conclusions from them. Moreover the credibility and verification of all the information used have also been taken into concern for the study to be made effective. Observations: Leakage in USTs has become issues of serious concerns in the recent times to the safety of groundwater. Considering countries like America, around 50 percent of the population and almost all the families in the rural areas are known to depend on groundwater for their drinking water purposes. Toxic materials are held in these USTs that easily flow through the soil thereby polluting the underground water, making it severely harmful for humans and children. Studies reveal that there are several backlog and rejections in areas where cleanups are necessary. Protections could not be successfully enforced by the federal and the state UST programs such that the pollution may be prevented (Leakage Underground Storage Tanks: A Threat to Public Health and Environment, 2). The Chemicals Stored in USTs and Their Effects: The following chart provides an idea on the chemicals that are stored in the USTs and their probable effects that can occur on humans and animals’ health: Toxic Substance Health Effects Health-Based Drinking Water Goal Pollutant Class From Mobility in Soil Benzene Causes cancer and badly affects developing children and reproductive system. Supposed to affect the brain, heart, blood vessels and lungs 0 Volatile Organic Compound Gasoline and other petroleum products High Toluene Negatively affects developing children, and assumed to damage the reproductive, respiratory, nervous and immune systems 1 parts per million Volatile Organic Compound Gasoline and other petroleum products High with other chemicals in gas MTBE Can cause cancer, damage nervous and respiratory systems and affect the ability of the kidneys to clean harmful impurities in the blood 13 parts per billion Oxygenate Gasoline High with other chemicals in gas Cadmium Causes cancer and adversely affects developing children and the reproductive system. Assumed to adversely affect the nervous, endocrine and immune systems 5 parts per billion Heavy metal Used motor oil & other waste oils High in acidic conditions Xylenes Assumed to adversely affect developing children, damage the reproductive, immune and respiratory systems 10 parts per million Volatile Organic Compound Gasoline and other petroleum products Moderate Naphthalene Causes cancer, suspected of adversely affecting developing children, and damaging nervous, cardiovascular and respiratory systems 1.7 parts per billion Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Gasoline and other petroleum products High in sandy soils 1,2 Dichloroethane Causes cancer and suspected of causing undesirable development and reproductive effects and of harming the cardiovascular, nervous and respiratory systems 0 Volatile Organic Compound Leaded gasoline Very high to high Ethylbenzene Causes cancer and assumed to affect developing children and reproductive system and damage nervous and respiratory systems 0.7 parts per million Volatile Organic Compound Gasoline and other petroleum products Moderate Ethylene Dibromide Causes cancer and adverse effects on developing children and reproductive systems 0 Synthetic organic compound Leaded gasoline High Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Causes cancer and adversely affects developing children. Suspected of harming the endocrine, immune and nervous systems 0 Synthetic organic compound Used oil Low Lead Causes cancer and adversely affects developing children. Suspected of harming the nervous, reproductive and endocrine, respiratory and immune systems 0 Heavy metal Used motor oil & other waste oils Low Table 1: Potential Contaminants at Leaking Underground Storage Tanks Site (Leakage Underground Storage Tanks: A Threat to Public Health and Environment, 6). Thus from the above table all the harmful chemicals that are held in the USTs and their severe effects on human and animal health could be obtained. It can be clearly understood that these effects are not only severe but can affect the health for a long period of time, at times being lifetime, which proves to be of a serious concern. Causes of Spills and Leakage: It has been obtained that the spills or the leakage that occur in the USTs are primarily owing to human error or failures in the system. These may include errors in the operations, incorrect installations, failures in piping, or tank failures. Operational failures leading to filling and dispensing failures cause leakage of harmful chemicals from the USTs. Improper installations are many times responsible for the system to fail to work properly where the parts of the system might not work properly as well. Piping failures have been found to occur owing to lose fittings, inappropriate fastening of pipe joints, differential settling of the tank and piping, pressures caused by freeze-thaw cycles, wetting-drying cycles in high shrink-swell soils, or intense traffic, hydraulic shock, and pump-induced vibrations. Tank failures mostly occur due to corrosion. This may take place as a result of heavy usage of corrosive or non-homogeneous backfill, the use of divergent metals in the tank or piping, the existence of shallow groundwater or impermanent water around the tank, harm to corrosion control coatings, and lost currents from electrical power sources (Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) And NPS Pollution, 1-2). Leaking Underground Storage Tanks (LUST): An Understanding of the Current Status: USTs have been mostly obtained in heavily concentrated areas particularly, the urban and the suburban areas that are mainly used for the storage of petroleum products. These products include gasoline, diesel fuel as well as fuel oil. At times, hazardous wastes are also stored in these tanks. The most difficult problem arises when the steel that these tanks are made of get corroded as a result of corrosive materials being in continuous use. These deteriorate the conditions of the tanks leading to leakages of such products in the ground affecting the drinking water available underground. The water being contaminated affects the humans and animals who intake this water. Not only for drinking, but this water is also used by them for the purposes of bathing that can be highly dangerous for their health (Chiras, 523). Studies by U.S. EPA have revealed that although there might be several reasons leading to underground water contamination, yet the most significant factor in the recent times has been obtained to be the leakage in the USTs. Sometimes if the leakage is small, it may remain undetected and the leakage may occur silently affecting the health of humans and animals without anyone getting note of it. Considering data on the US, around 488, 000 leaky tanks have been obtained of which 80 percent have already been cleaned up with the rest still being in process. Recently around 7000 more leaky tanks have been added to the list. Major oil companies are spending a lot on the cleanup processes such that new gas stations may be installed in the areas (Chiras, 523). The figure below provides a status of the cleanup process being held. Figure 1: Cumulative Number of Federal-funded LUST Sites in Each Stage in the Cleanup Process (Tribal Accomplishments in 2010, 2011). Reports from Different States on the UST Leakage: A 1995 report by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has presented a study on “plumes of groundwater contamination from 271 leaking underground fuel tanks in California” (National Research Council, 26). The study revealed that natural attenuation has been the most common method used for the purpose of cleanups in these areas. The methods that were used for cleanup of groundwater contamination includes Biosparging, In-situ bioremediation, Air sparging, Pump and treat, and Monitored natural attenuation. The methods used for cleanup of soil contamination included Soil washing, Biopiles, Bioventing, Incineration, Thermal desorption, Monitored natural attenuation, Landfarming, Soil vapor extraction, and Landfilling (National Research Council, 28). Michigan is another state in the US that has recorded the presence of 9,100 polluted LUST sites where leakages in fuel tanks have contaminated underground water and soils, along with surface waters and wells. Studied reveal that, “At least 1,440 of those LUST sites pose an immediate risk to human health, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency” (Alexander). According to the Michigan Department of Environment Quality, there is a need to reinvent the entire program and the total cleanup process would require around 90 years time and cost the government $1.8 billion (Alexander). The figure below provides data on the current status of national backlog in the cleanup process. Figure 2: National Cleanup Backlog (The National LUST Cleanup Backlog: A Study of Opportunities). Probable Solutions to the Problem: A Study conducted by the New South Wales government also focused on the hazards of leakage from USTs. “Even very small leaks from underground tanks and supply lines can, over time, cause extensive contamination of soil and ground water. In many cases this contamination can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to clean up” (Underground Fuel Tanks, 1). The study has also discussed about the need and importance of following the means by which these contaminations may be prevented. For instance, the standards set by a country or a state need to be followed before installation of a system. There are certain basic installation rules and principles that are a must to be followed (Underground Fuel Tanks, 1). It needs to be focused that petroleum hydrocarbon molecules being lighter than water are capable of mixing with the soil and underground water very easily (Nadim et al, 171). There needs to be regular monitoring facilities in and around the system involving a fundamental risk management policy. Use of stock inventory monitoring, automated tank gauging systems, interstitial monitoring are some of the ways that can prove helpful in the process. There is also a need to remove tanks that have not been in use for a long time for any purpose of storage. This is necessary to avoid contamination of the soil or water thus protecting the health of humans and animals. Above all, strict laws need to be set as well as maintained in order to keep the processes in proper measures with the monitoring facilities being in place, and capable of detecting any minor issues that may be rectified with immediate effect (Underground Fuel Tanks, 1). EPA's federal underground storage tank (UST) regulations necessitate that the sites of leaking underground storage tank (LUST) must be cleaned up such that groundwater resources can be restored and protected thus creating a secure atmosphere for individuals living or working around these sites. These regulations need to be followed effectively for positive results (Leaking Underground Storage Tanks). Conclusion: The study has extensively obtained details that reflect on the immensely negative effect of the USTs’ leakages of hazardous chemicals in the soils and underground water that are accessible and used by humans and animals. The effects of the chemicals have been studied that present severe health problems for humans and developing children. These issues focus on the necessity of effective measures that can stop the flow of such contaminants. It can be understood that a primary reason for these contaminations has been the lack of vigilance or monitor or the proper follow up of the regulations. Since it is known that small leakages may go unnoticed, but they may gradually spread the contaminations, it is necessary that monitoring holds strictly to detect even small leakages before the contaminants can be spread in the environment. Moreover in the processes of cleanups huge amounts of funds are needed as have been obtained in the case of Michigan, that the governments of the countries should understand the need for saving such huge amounts. If individuals become more careful and take sincere responsibilities then not only would the government of the nation be saved of such funding after the mishaps occur, and the health of the residing humans and animals would also be protected. References 1) Alexander, Jeff, Michigan Struggles Against Gas-Tank Leaks, bridgemi, 2012, July 16, 2012 from: http://bridgemi.com/2012/03/michigan-struggles-against-gas-tank-leaks/ 2) Chiras, Daniel D., Environmental Science, Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2012 3) “Leaking Underground Storage Tanks”, EPA, 2012, July 16, 2012 from: http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/WATER.NSF/UST/LUST/ 4) “Leakage Underground Storage Tanks: A Threat to Public Health and Environment”, CSU, n.d., July 16, 2012 from: http://www.csu.edu/CERC/documents/LUSTThreattoPublicHealth.pdf 5) Nadim, Farhad et al, “Detection and remediation of soil and aquifer systems contaminated with petroleum products: an overview”, Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, (2000) 26, 169-178, July 16, 2012 from: https://www.iei.liu.se/affratt/tek_fak/ete322/material/1.129078/JPetrSciEng_1.pdf 6) National Research Council, Natural Attenuation for Groundwater Remediation, Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 2000 7) “The National LUST Cleanup Backlog: A Study Of Opportunities”, EPA, 2012, July 16, 2012 from: http://www.epa.gov/oust/cat/backlog.html 8) “Tribal Accomplishments in 2010”, EPA, 2011, July 16, 2012 from: http://www.epa.gov/region9/tribal/success/10/land.html 9) “Underground Fuel Tanks”, NSW, n.d., July 16, 2012 from: http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/sustainbus/2007202_ss_sheet6.pdf 10) “Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) And NPS Pollution”, ACES, n.d., July 16, 2012 from: http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0790/WQ4.8.1.pdf Read More