Contamination of the Chalk Aquifer by Chlorinated Solvents: A Case Study of the Luton and Dunstable Area

In: Water and environment journal, Band 6, Heft 5, S. 541-550

Abstract

ABSTRACTA detailed investigation of contamination by chlorinated solvents of the Chalk Aquifer underlying the towns of Luton and Dunstable was undertaken to assess the extent, causes and mechanisms of pollution. The research programme incorporated land‐use surveys, regional groundwater surveys, monitoring of groundwater abstraction points and aquifer profiling by means of the drilling of observation boreholes, the analysis of the recovered core material and the depth sampling of these and other boreholes.Low‐level solvent contamination of the Chalk Aquifer was found to be widespread with 'hotspots'of higher concentrations. At the drilling sites, both the saturated and unsaturated zones were contaminated with solvents, although free product was not observed. The presence of an additional contaminant, oil, at some sites was noted to influence the distribution of solvents within the aquifer.Clean‐up of the aquifer is not a practical option, and treatment of the groundwater at the abstraction points has been adopted.