ASTM D7045-04

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Designation: D7045 – 04
Standard Guide for
Optimization of Ground Water Monitoring Constituents for
Detection Monitoring Programs for RCRA Waste Disposal
Facilities
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D7045; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
bility of regulatory requirements prior to use.
1.1 This standard provides a general method of selecting
effective constituents for detection monitoring programs at
2. Referenced Documents
RCRAWaste Disposal Facilities. The process described in this
2.1 ASTM Standards:
standard presents a methodology that takes into consideration
D5792 Practice for Generation of Environmental Data Re-
physical and chemical characteristics of the source material(s),
lated to Waste Management Activities: Development of
the surrounding hydrogeologic regime, and site-specific
Data Quality Objectives
geochemistry to identify and select those parameters that
D6312 Guide for Developing Appropriate Statistical Ap-
provide most effective detection of a potential release from a
proaches for Ground-Water Detection Monitoring Pro-
waste management unit (WMU).
grams
1.2 In the following sections, complete details of evaluation
of effective monitoring constituents for a groundwater
3. Terminology
detection-monitoring program were based on site-specific
3.1 Definitions:
waste characterization.
3.1.1 detection monitoring program—a program of moni-
1.3 The statistical methodology described in the following
toring for the expressed purpose of determining whether or not
sections should be used as guidance. Other methods may also
there has been a release of contaminant to groundwater. Under
be appropriate based on site-specific conditions or for moni-
RCRA, Detection Monitoring involves collection of ground-
toring situations or media that are not presented in this
water samples from compliance point and upgradient monitor-
document.
ing wells on a semi-annual basis for analysis of hazardous
1.4 This practice offers an organized collection of informa-
constituents of concern, as specified under 40 CFR 264.98.
tion or a series of options and does not recommend a specific
Results are evaluated to determine if there is a statistically
course of action. This document cannot replace education,
significant exceedance of the ground-water protection criteria
experience and professional judgements. Not all aspects of this
and/or background. At non-RCRA sites, monitoring is con-
practice may be applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM
ducted in a similar manner and results are compared to criteria
standard is not intended to represent or replace the standard of
to determine if there is a statistically significant exceedance.
care by which the adequacy of a given professional service
3.1.2 indicator constituents—a class of analytes that, when
must be judged without consideration of a project’s many
detected in significant concentrations, provide an indication of
unique aspects. The word standard in the title of this document
a change in organic or inorganic geochemistry that may be
only means that the document has been approved through the
from a waste source and supports further characterization.
ASTM consensus process.
3.1.3 leachate—a liquid that has passed through or emerged
1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the
from solid waste and contains soluble, suspended, or miscible
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
materials removed from such waste.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
This guide is under thejurisdictionofASTMCommittee D18 onSoilandRock
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D18.21 on Ground Water and For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
Vadose Zone Investigations. contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Current edition approved May 1, 2004. Published June 2004. DOI: 10.1520/ Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
D7045-04. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
D7045 – 04
3.1.4 nonparametric —a term referring to a statistical tech- ents that will provide an indication of whether the WMU is
nique in which the probability distribution of the constituent in potentially impacting surface and groundwater in the vicinity
the population is unknown or is not restricted to be of a of the unit.
specified form.
5. Significance and Use
3.1.5 nonparametric prediction limit—the largest (or sec-
5.1 The principal use of this standard is in the identification
ond largest) of n background samples. The confidence level
of effective groundwater monitoring constituents for a
associated with the nonparametric prediction limit is a function
detection-monitoring program. The significance of the guide is
of n, m, and k.
to minimize the false positive rate for the facility by only
3.1.6 outlier—a measurement that is statistically inconsis-
monitoring those constituents that are intrinsic to the waste
tent with the distribution of other measurements from which it
mass and eliminate those constituents that are present in
was drawn.
background in concentrations that confound evaluation from
3.1.7 practical quantitation limit (PQL)—the lowest level
downgradient wells.
thatcanreliablyachievedwithspecifiedlimitsofprecisionand
5.2 Federal, state and local regulations require large generic
accuracy during routine laboratory operating conditions.
lists of constituents to be monitored in an effort to detect a
3.1.8 qualified groundwater scientist (QGWS)—a scientist
release from a WMU. However, identification and selection of
or engineer who has received a baccalaureate or postgraduate
parameters based on site-specific physical and chemical con-
degree in the natural sciences or engineering and has sufficient
ditionsareinmanycasesalsoacceptabletoregulatoryagencies
training in groundwater hydrology and related fields as may be
and result in a more effective and environmentally protective
demonstrated by state registration, professional certifications,
groundwater monitoring system.
orcompletionofaccrediteduniversityprogramsthatenablethe
5.2.1 Naturally occurring soil and groundwater constituents
individual to make sound professional judgments regarding
within and near aWMU area should be determined prior to the
groundwater monitoring, contaminant fate and transport, and
development of a monitoring program. This is important in the
corrective action.
selection of site-specific constituents lists and avoiding diffi-
3.1.9 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
culties with a regulatory authority regarding sources of moni-
(RCRA)—PL 94-580. Found at 40 CFR 240-271. Enacted
tored constituents.
November 21, 1976 and amended since, RCRA’s major
5.2.2 Site-specific lists of constituents relative to the WMU
emphasis is the control of hazardous waste disposal. It controls
will provide for the regulator those constituents which will
all solid-waste disposal and encourages recycling and alterna-
effectively measure the performance of aWMU rather than the
tive energy sources.
use of a generic list that could include naturally occurring
3.1.10 upper confidence limit (UCL)—an upper limit that
constituents as well as those not present in the WMU.
hasaspecifiedprobability(forexample,95 %)ofincludingthe
5.3 Site-specific constituent lists often result in fewer moni-
true concentration (or other parameter). Taken together with
toredconstituents(thatis,monitoringprogramsareoptimized).
lower confidence limit, forms a confidence interval that will
This process is critical to the overall success of the monitoring
include the true concentration with confidence level that
program for the following reasons:
accounts for both tail areas.
5.3.1 The reduction of the monitoring constituents to only
3.1.11 upper limit (UL)—an upper limit of a data set of
those found or expected to be found or derived from site-
population (n) that may be statistically or non-statistically
specific source material will reduce the number of false-
based.
positive results since only those parameters that could indicate
3.1.12 waste management unit (WMU)—a permitted waste
a release are monitored.
disposal unit or temporary containment structure that is de-
5.3.2 The use of constituents that contrast significantly to
signed and constructed to inhibit the migration of wastes to the
background groundwater eliminates those that could lead to
adjacent environment.
erroneous results merely due to temporal and spatial variability
3.2 Symbols:
of components found in the natural geochemistry of the
3.2.1 n—the number of background (offsite or upgradient)
upper-most water-bearing zone.
measurements.
5.3.3 Where statistics are required, fewer statistical com-
3.2.2 k—the number of future comparisons for a single
parisons through well and constituent optimization enhances
monitoring event (for example, the number of downgradient
the statistical power (or effectiveness) of the monitoring
monitoring wells multiplied by the number of constituents to
program (Gibbons, 1994; USEPA, July 1992).
be monitored) for which statistics are to be computed.
5.3.4 Eliminating the cost of unnecessary laboratory analy-
3.2.3 m—the number of onsite or downgradient measure-
ses produces a more efficient and cost-effective monitoring
ments used in computing the onsite mean concentration.
program and minimizes the effort required by both the local
enforcement agency and the owner/operator to respond (either
4. Summary of Guide
with correspondence or additional field/laboratory efforts) to
4.1 The guide is summarized as figures shown in Figs. 1-3. erroneous detection decisions.
These figures provides a flow-chart illustrating the steps used 5.4 This type of approach is acceptable to regulatory agen-
in characterizing the source material, collecting background cies arid applicable under most groundwater monitoring pro-
data, establishing an upper limit for each analyte included in grams under RCRA regulations. For example, in determining
the program, and/or establishing effective monitoring constitu- the alternate constituent list at Solid Waste Facilities, 40 CFR
D7045 – 04
FIG. 1 Phase I—Indicator Parameter Identification
258.54(a)(l) allows for deletion of 40 CFR 258 Appendix I to establish an alternate list of inorganic parameters in lieu of
constituents if it can be shown that the removed constituents all or some of the heavy metals (constituents 1-14 inAppendix
are not reasonably expected to be in or derived from the waste I to Part 258), if the alternative constituents provide a reliable
containedintheunit.40CFR258(a)(2)allowsapprovedStates indication of inorganic releases from the unit to groundwater.
D7045 – 04
FIG. 1 Phase I—Indicator Parameter Identification (continued)
5.5 The framework for this standard is generally based on WMU, not just those associated with solid waste disposal
the guidelines established under 40 CFR 258.54(a)(l) to opti- facilities. In determining the alternative constituents, consider-
mizeagroundwater-monitoringnetworkinsuchamannerasto ation must be made for: (1) the types, quantities, and concen-
still provide an early warning system of a release from the trations of constituents in wastes managed at the waste
WMU. This guidance document is, however, applicable for all management unit (or WMU); (2) the mobility, stability, and
D7045 – 04
FIG. 2 Phase II—Geochemical Properties Evaluation
persistence of waste constituents in the unsaturated zone 5.6 An essential factor in this guide is the knowledge of the
beneath the WMU; (3) the detectability of indicator param- quality of the potential source material [for example, the types
eters,wasteconstituents,andreactionproductsingroundwater; and concentrations of liquid or other leachable wastes (that is,
and (4) the concentration or contrast between monitoring leachate) within the WMU]. The characterization of the source
constituents in leachate and in background groundwater. material is critical in determining an optimum set of indicator
D7045 – 04
FIG. 3 Monitoring Program Implementation
parameters that provide an early warning system of a release 5.7 Another key factor to be used in this guide is knowledge
from the unit. Details for the appropriate levels of effort of background quality of groundwater unaffected by the WMU
required to characterize the waste stream or source(s) in the and knowledge of local sources other than the WMU that may
WMU are not included within this guidance document. Waste presently be impacting groundwater quality. The main objec-
stream and/or source data collected by the owner/operator as tive then is to choose those constituents that are derived from
well as liquid data from key collection points (that is, sumps or the WMU (for example, are present in the leachate or residual
natural gravity drain collection points) are an integral part of liquids) at much higher concentrations than groundwater
any waste characterization process. and/or that are only present in the waste or waste residuum (for
D7045 – 04
example, leachate) and absent in groundwater. The analytes al. (1991), Gibbons et al. (1992), Gintautas (1993), and
chosen must also be mobile, persistent, and easily quantifiable Christensen et al. (1994).
in the specific hydrogeologic and groundwater regime.
6.2.4 Determine if existing, analytical chemical data is
available for site leachate.Analytical data might include actual
6. Procedure
data collected from WMU leachate or an analytical character-
6.1 This practice is used to identify and select site-specific
ization of the waste stream placed into the WMU (recom-
monitoring constituents. The practice requires site-specific
mended for mono-fills). For solid waste disposal facilities,
characterization of the liquids derived from the source (that is,
analytical data might include, but are not limited to, anthropo-
leachate) and background groundwater geochemistry (that is,
genic(man-made)compoundssuchasVOCs,inorganicmacro-
the types, quantities, and concentrations of constituents present
components, and
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