Probable Impact of NTA on Ground Watera

Abstract

ABSTRACTLaboratory studies were employed to investigate the fate and effect of NTA both in ground waters and in soil profiles overlying ground waters.Studies of the sorption of NTA by sand, loam, and clay‐loam soils indicated that sorption of NTA on soils could slow its movement into and through ground waters. Sorption will probably not be sufficient to prevent or greatly reduce potential pollution of ground water by NTA used as a detergent builder.Soil column studies were employed to investigate the degradation and effect on metals of NTA infiltrating through soils. These studies indicated: NTA infiltrating through most unsaturated soils likely would undergo rapid and complete degradation and contribute only inorganic nitrogen compounds and carbonate to ground waters; NTA infiltrating through saturated soils would probably experience only very limited degradation, with a major portion entering ground water intact; any NTA which escaped degradation during infiltration through soils could transport such metals as iron, zinc, chromium, lead, cadmium, and mercury from soils into ground waters.Studies with model aquifers constructed from natural aquifer sand indicated that NTA would likely undergo slow degradation in essentially anaerobic ground‐water environments, with production of CO2, CH4, and possibly other organic compounds.