Response Surface Methodology: An Analytical Method for Locating Migrated Contaminant Sources

The use and storage of hazardous chemicals at U.S. military facilities often adversely affect the groundwater when contaminants infiltrate the subsurface as a result of leaks and accidental spills. These contaminants, if not located and remediated in a relatively short time, may move and settle unpredictably, essentially creating a source some distance from the original leak or spill. An example of this phenomenon is found with migrating dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) contaminants. Although various methods for estimating the present day locations of these migrated contaminants are in use, accurately pinpointing the source of contaminants remains a difficult problem in current remediation technology. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is a computer enhanced statistical technique for empirical model building and exploitation that supports a systematic approach to site characterization. The use of RSM techniques may result in better mathematical models of a site and may ultimately enhance a site's conceptual model. This work demonstrates the use of RSM to pinpoint the statistically best locations of contaminant point sources that have migrated from their original location in several experiments, and outlines a process that has great potential for significantly reducing costs associated with site characterization and remediation.Air Force Inst of Tech Wright-Patterson AFB OH School of Engineering is the author of 'Response Surface Methodology: An Analytical Method for Locating Migrated Contaminant Sources' with ISBN 9781423575023 and ISBN 1423575024.