Abstract
Isopropylbenzene (cumene) is commonly encountered in groundwater at petroleum release sites due to its natural occurrence in crude oil and historical use as a fuel additive. The cumene concentrations detected at these sites often exceed regulatory guidelines or standards for states with stringent groundwater regulations. Recent laboratory analytical data collected at historical petroleum underground storage tank (UST) release sites have revealed that cumene persists at concentrations exceeding the default cleanup criterion, while other common petroleum constituents are below detection limits or low enough to allow natural attenuation as a remediation strategy. This effectively makes cumene the driver for active remediation at some sites. An insignificant amount of research has been conducted for the in-situ remediation of cumene. Sulfate Enhanced Biodegradation (SEB) is evaluated in a field case study. The results from the field case study show an approximate 92% decrease in plume area following three rounds of SEB injections. An additional objective of this research was to determine the cumene concentration in fuels currently being used to determine future impacts. A review of safety data sheets from several fuel suppliers revealed that cumene concentrations in gasoline are reported typically as wide ranges due to the proprietary formulations. Several fuels from different suppliers were analyzed to determine a baseline of cumene concentration in modern fuels. The results of the analysis indicated that cumene accounts for approximately 0.01% (diesel) to 0.13% (premium gasoline) of the overall fuel composition. Cumene generally is considered to be of low human health toxicity, with the principal concern being eye, skin, and respiratory irritation following inhalation of vapors in an occupational setting, but it has been regulated in Florida at very low concentrations based on organoleptic considerations.
Highlights
Cumene is a volatile organic compound (VOC) consisting of an aromatic hydrocarbon with an aliphatic substitution [1]
This paper considers whether cumene can be remediated using sulfate-enhanced bioremediation and, in addition, assesses the foundation of the Florida criterion for remediation of cumene
A diesel sample was collected from Gas Stations #2, #4, and #5, and an ethanol-free of the terminal electron acceptor (TEA) available to sulfate reducing bacteria [14]
Summary
Cumene (isopropylbenzene) is a volatile organic compound (VOC) consisting of an aromatic hydrocarbon with an aliphatic substitution [1]. The compound is not known to be a human carcinogen due to insufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in human studies. High levels of cumene have been found in groundwater near industrial sites and in industrial effluents. Concentrations of 360 [9] and 1581 μg/L [10] have been reported in groundwater near underground storage tanks, as high as 700 μg/L near outboard motor operations [11], and up to 54 μg/L near coal gasification facilities [12]. In groundwater not adjacent to a known industrial or a contaminated site [4,13].
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