Here is a comprehensive and up-to date compendium of the technology and management of MTBE contamination, exploring the myths which impede successful clean-up techniques, and offering effective solutions. Section I looks at the history, properties, occurrence and assessment of MTBE. Section II discusses applicable remediation technologies. Section III offers remediation case studies.

Across the United States, thousands of hazardous waste sites are contaminated with chemicals that prevent the underlying groundwater from meeting drinking water standards. These include Superfund sites and other facilities that handle and dispose of hazardous waste, active and inactive dry cleaners, and leaking underground storage tanks; many are at federal facilities such as military installations. While many sites have been closed over the past 30 years through cleanup programs run by the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. EPA, and other state and federal agencies, the remaining caseload is much more difficult to address because the nature of the contamination and subsurface conditions make it difficult to achieve drinking water standards in the affected groundwater. Alternatives for Managing the Nation's Complex Contaminated Groundwater Sites estimates that at least 126,000 sites across the U.S. still have contaminated groundwater, and their closure is expected to cost at least $110 billion to $127 billion. About 10 percent of these sites are considered "complex," meaning restoration is unlikely to be achieved in the next 50 to 100 years due to technological limitations. At sites where contaminant concentrations have plateaued at levels above cleanup goals despite active efforts, the report recommends evaluating whether the sites should transition to long-term management, where risks would be monitored and harmful exposures prevented, but at reduced costs.

Environmental isotope and nuclear techniques provide unmatched insights into the processes governing the water cycle and its variability. This monograph presents state of the art applications and new developments of isotopes in hydrology, environmental disciplines and climate change studies. Coverage ranges from the assessment of groundwater resources in terms of recharge and flow regime to studies of the past and present global environmental and climate changes.

The precautionary principle is widely seen as fundamental to successful policies for sustainability. This title looks back over the last century to examine the role the principle played in a range of major and avoidable public disasters.

This publication provides a structured approach to analyzing hazards to groundwater quality, assessing the risk they may cause for a specific supply, setting priorities in addressing these, and developing management strategies for their control. This book summarizes which pathogens and chemicals are relevant to human health, how they are transported, reduced, removed or retarded; provides practical guidance on characterizing the drinking-water catchment area and assessing potential health hazards; provides guidance on prioritising both hazards and management responses; presents key information on potential management actions and explains their integration into a comprehensive Water Safety Plan from catchment to consumer; and describes policy, land-use planning and implementation of pollution prevention, groundwater, with overviews of specific management approaches applicable to agriculture, sanitation, industry, mining, military sites, waste disposal and traffic.--Publisher's description.

The precautionary principle is widely seen as fundamental to successful policies for sustainability. It has been cited in international courts and trade disputes between the USA and the EU, and invoked in a growing range of political debates. Understanding what it can and cannot achieve is therefore crucial. This volume looks back over the last century to examine the role the principle played or could have played, in a range of major and avoidable public disasters. From detailed investigation of how each disaster unfolded, what the impacts were and what measures were adopted, the authors draw lessons and establish criteria that could help to minimise the health and environmental risks of future technological, economic and policy innovations. This is an informative resource for all those from lawyers and policy-makers, to researchers and students needing to understand or apply the principle.