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Volume 4: Investigative approach for petroleum VIAP

Vapor Intrusion Graphic
Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Volume 4: Investigative approach for petroleum VIAP

Executive Summary

Petroleum vapor intrusion (PVI) is a unique subdivision of the volatilization to the indoor air pathway (VIAP) distinguished by the influence of aerobic biodegradation in degrading volatile petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) vapors over short distances. As a result, unacceptable risks from PVI are generally only observed where: 1) non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) is near or entering a structure; 2) NAPL has entered a utility that is connected to a structure; or 3) groundwater above the volatilization to indoor air criteria (VIAC) is entering a structure.

The risk evaluation associated with PVI should focus on contaminated groundwater at the surface (i.e., top) of the zone of saturation and areas where the NAPL body is located above the saturation zone or where mobile NAPL intersects and may enter an underground conduit that can transport vapors to a structure. For PVI, risk evaluation can often be carried out through application of nationally supported separation distances and/or strategic collection of representative soil gas samples above and around the NAPL body and contaminated groundwater.