DDT was manufactured in both companies/countries. Chlorobenzene is a significant part of the process. There is also a benzene plume at Montrose Chemical similar to Uniroyal/Elmira. Both sites have identified chlorobenzene DNAPL also known as free phase DNAPL. Both sites have identified residual chlorobenzene DNAPL. Both sites apparently have client driven consultants with a firm grasp on both fantasy and the bottom line.
Differences include the stratigraphy. Montrose Chemical has between 235 and 250 feet of sand, silt, clay etc. in their aquitards and aquifers all above Bedrock. Uniroyal/Elmira has approximately only 100 feet of aquitards and aquifers with sand, silt, clay & gravel above their fractured Bedrock Aquifer. The Gage Aquifer beneath the Montrose Chemical site in California begins at 175 feet below ground surface and is sixty feet thick and is contaminated with both dissolved chlorobenzene AND free phase chlorobenzene DNAPL. Here in Elmira we are to magically believe that the free phase chlorobenzene DNAPL didn't go below the Municipal Aquifer at worst, a mere 45-65 feet below ground surface. Recently it sounds as if Lanxess are walking that back to no free phase DNAPL past the Upper Aquitard (UAT) which is ridiculous.
DDT is poorly soluble in water (very low) in both locations however it is very soluble in chlorobenzene in both locations. DDT is likely in California (Montrose Chemical) to become a mobile contaminant in groundwater after it has dissolved in the chlorobenzene. It should be the same in Elmira (Uniroyal) although here in Elmira we also have dioxins dissolving and moving in groundwater with chlorobenzene.
This Feasibility Study (Montrose Chemical) has varying time estimates for major cleanup. They are between 3,100 and 5,800 years. I suspect that we can do better here in Elmira (Uniroyal) albeit all guilty parties do appear to be doing their best to achieve those time frames.
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