U.S . Department of the Interior 

U.S . Geological Survey 

Delineation of Discharge Areas 

of Two Contaminant Plumes 

by Use of Diffusion Samplers, 

Johns Pond, Cape Cod, 

Massachusetts, 1998 

Water-Resources Investigations Report 00-4017


Prepared in cooperation with the


AIR FORCE CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE and the


U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY


EPA 
U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S . Geological Survey 

Delineation of Discharge Areas of Two 

Contaminant Plumes by Use of Diffusion 

Samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, 

Massachusetts, 1998 

By JENNIFER G . SAVOIE, DENIS R . LeBLANC, DANN S. BLACKWOOD, 

TIMOTHY D. McCOBB, RICHARD R. RENDIGS, U .S. Geological Survey, 

and SCOTT CLIFFORD, U.S . Environmental Protection Agency 

Water-Resources Investigations Report 00-4017 

Prepared in cooperation with the 

AIR FORCE CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE and the 

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 

Northborough, Massachusetts 

2000 
10 Bearfoot Road 

Northborough, MA 01532 

U

Charles UBRUCE .S.S .

.GEOLOGICAL DEPARTMEN

G

BABBITT, . Groat, Director 

SURVEY
 Secretary
 OF THE INTERIOR The use of trade or product names in this report is for identification 

purposes only and does not constitute endorsement by the 

U.S. Geological Survey. 

For additional information write to: Copies of this report can be purchased from: 

U .S. Geological Survey 

Branch of Information Services 

Box 25286 

Denver, CO 80225-0286 

Chief, Massachusetts-Rhode Island District 

U.S. Geological Survey 

Water Resources Division 
CONTENTS 

Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

Study Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Principles ofOperation and Construction of Diffusion Samplers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Deployment and Retrieval Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 

Installation and Retrieval Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 

Collection of Water Samples with the Drive-Point Sampler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 

Analysis ofVapor and Water Samples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes at Johns Pond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

Storm Drain-5 Plume Discharge Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 

Trichloroethene Plume Discharge Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

Results from Water-Diffusion Samplers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 

Results from Water-Column Samplers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

References Cited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 

FIGURES 

1 . Map showing location ofstudy area, the Storm Drain-5 plume, Johns Pond, and altitude ofwater 

table, Cape Cod, Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 

2 . Longitudinal section showing vertical path of Storm Drain-5 plume in ground water along 

sectionAA', Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 

3-9 . Maps showing: 

3. Location ofStorm Drain-5 plume and diffusion samplers collected in April 1998 to delineate 

the Storm Drain-5 plume discharge area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 

4. Location ofStorm Drain-5 plume and diffusion samplers collected in August 1998 to delineate 

the Storm Drain-5 plume discharge area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 

5. Location ofdrive-point water samples collected in September 1998 from discharge area 

of the previously unidentified trichloroethene plume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 

6. Location ofdiffusion samplers collected in December 1998 to delineate the discharge area 

of the trichloroethene plume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 

7. Discharge areas ofStorm Drain-5 plume and the previously unidentified trichloroethene plume 

based on concentrations in vapor-diffusion samples, August 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 

8. Discharge area ofthe trichloroethene plume based on concentrations in vapor-diffusion samples, 

December 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 

9. Discharge areas and plume paths ofthe Storm Drain-5 and trichloroethene plumes, 

August and December 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 

10. Graph showing relation between trichloroethene concentrations in vapor- and water-diffusion 

samples collected in December 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 

TABLES 

1 . Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in vapor-diffusion samples collected from pore 

water in pond-bottom sediments near the Storm Drain-5 plume, Johns Pond, 

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, April 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 

2. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, 

and selected inorganic constituents in drive-point water samples collected near the 

trichloroethene plume, September 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 

Contents III 
3. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in vapor-diffusion samples collected 

from pore water in pond-bottom sediments near the trichloroethene plume, December 1998. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 

4. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in water-diffusion and adjacent vapor-diffusion 

samples collected from pore water in pond-bottom sediments, August and December 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 

5. Results ofanalyses for volatile organic compounds in diffusion samples collected from the pond-water 

column and adjacent pond-bottom sediments, August and December 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 

6. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in vapor-diffusion samples collected from pore water 

in pond-bottom sediments near the Storm Drain-5 plume, August 1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 

CONVERSION FACTORS, VERTICAL DATUM, AND CHEMICAL 

ABBREVIATIONS 

CONVERSION FACTORS: 

Multiply 

foot (ft) 

inch (in) 

VERTICAL DATUM 

By To obtain 

0.3048 meter 

25.40 millimeter 

Sea level: In this report, "sea level" refers to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD of 

1929)-a geodetic datum derived from a general adjustment of the first-order level nets of the United 

States and Canada, formerly called Sea Level Datum of 1929 . 

CHEMICAL ABBREVIATIONS 

mL milliliter 

hm micrometer 

ltg/L micrograms per liter 

ppb v parts per billion by volume 

IV Contents 
Delineation of Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant 

Plumes by Use of Diffusion Samplers, Johns Pond, 

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 1998 

By Jennifer G. Savoie, Denis R. LeBlanc, Dann S. Blackwood, 

Timothy D. McCobb, Richard R. Rendigs, andScott Clifford 

Abstract 

Diffusion samplers were installed in the 

bottom of Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 

to confirm that volatile organic compounds from 

the Storm Drain-5 (SD-5) plume emanating from 

the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR) 

were discharging into the pond. An array of 134 

vapor-diffusion samplers was buried by divers 

about 0.5 feet below the pond bottom in the 

presumed discharge area of the SD-5 plume and 

left in place for about 2 weeks to equilibrate. 

Two areas of high concentrations of 

volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were 

identified . Samples from the first area contained 

trichloroethene (TCE) and tetrachloroethene with 

concentrations in vapor as high as 890 and 667 

parts per billion by volume, respectively. This 

discharge area is about 1,000 feet wide, extends 

from 100 to 350 feet offshore, and is interpreted to 

be the discharge area of the SD-5 plume. Samples 

from the second area were located closer to shore 

than the discharge area of the SD-5 plume and 

contained unexpectedly high vapor concentrations 

of TCE (more than 40,000 parts per billion by 

volume). Ground-water samples collected with a 

drive-point sampler near the second area had 

aqueous TCE concentrations as high as 1,100 

micrograms per liter. Subsequently, a more closely 

spaced array of 110 vapor-diffusion samplers was 

installed to map the area of elevated TCE 

concentrations . The discharge area detected with 

the samplers is about 75 feet wide and extends 

from about 25 to 200 feet offshore . TCE vapor 

concentrations in this area were as high as 42,800 

parts per billion by volume. 

TCE concentrations in micrograms per liter 

in water-diffusion samples from 15 selected sites 

in the two discharge areas were about 35 times 

lower than the TCE concentrations in parts per 

billion by volume in corresponding vapordiffusion samples. The difference in values is due 

to the volatile nature of TCE and the different 

units of measure. TCE was detected in diffusion 

samplers set in the pond water column above 

the plume discharge areas, but the TCE 

concentrations were 20 to 30 times lower than 

the corresponding levels in diffusion samplers 

buried in the pond bottom. 

INTRODUCTION 

A plume of dissolved volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ground water extends 9,000 ft from 

the site of a storm drain on the Massachusetts Military 

Reservation (MMR) to Johns Pond, Mashpee, Mass. 

(figs. 1 and 2). Johns Pond is a ground-water 

flow-through glacial kettle pond in a sand and gravel 

outwash plain. Ground water generally flows into the 

pond near its western side and discharges back into the 

ground near the eastern side of the pond, as indicated 

by the water-table contours in figure l . This groundwater plume, known as the Storm Drain-5 (SD-5) 

plume, is composed primarily of trichloroethene (TCE) 

with concentrations as high as 66 pg/L. Investigations 

by the MMR's Installation Restoration Program (IRP) 

suggested that the SD-5 plume was discharging to 

Johns Pond (Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., 1997a, 

1998a) . The MMRIRP sought to confirm that the SD-5 

plume was discharging to the pond and to delineate the 

extent of the discharge area . 

Introduction 1 
73° 

Massachusetts 

Military

Reservation i 

41 039' 

I 

41°37'30" 

EXPLANATION 

-35- WATER-TABLE CONTOUR-Shows altitude of water 

table. Contour interval is 5 feet . Datum is sea level (Savoie, 1995) 

A A' 

LINE OF SECTION-See figure 2 

Figure 1 . Location of study area, the Storm Drain-5 plume (Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., 

1998a), Johns Pond, and altitude of water table, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. 

2 Delineation of Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes by Use of Diffusion Samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Mass., 1998 
0 500 1,000 METERS EXPLANATION 

GENERAL GROUND-WATER FLOW DIRECTION 

Figure 2. Vertical path of Storm Drain-5 plume in ground water along section A-A', Johns 

Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts (modified from Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc ., 1996a). 

Location of section shown in figure 1 . 

In 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), 

in cooperation with the Air Force Center for 

Environmental Excellence and the U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (USEPA), conducted a study in 

which diffusion samplers were installed in Johns Pond 

to determine if VOCs from the SD-5 plume were 

discharging to the pond and to delineate the area of 

discharge. Diffusion samplers have been used in New 

England to locate discharge areas of VOCs into other 

surface-water bodies where wading was possible 

(Lyford and others, 1998, 1999; Savoie and others, 

1999) . Johns Pond was the first site at which the 

samplers were deployed at depths that prohibited 

wading. The samplers were installed in Johns Pond 

by divers in water depths ranging from 5 to 30 ft . 

Water-to-vapor and water-to-water diffusion 

samplers (referred to as vapor- and water-diffusion 

samplers, respectively, in this report) were used to 

determine the distribution and concentrations of 

VOCs in the pore waters within the pond-bottom 

sediments and in pond water near the pond bottom. 

Vapor-diffusion samplers were chosen for most of the 

sampling sites because they are easy to construct, 

install, retrieve, and analyze. Water-diffusion samplers 

were installed at selected locations to determine 

aqueous-phase concentrations ofVOCs in pore water in 

the pond-bottom sediments . Vapor-diffusion samplers 

also were mounted on stands that were placed on the 

bottom of the pond to determine ifVOCs were 

detectable in the water columnjust above the pond 

bottom. Finally, water samples were collected using a 

drive-point sampler in order to verify results from the 

diffusion samplers. This report describes how diffusion 

samplers were constructed and installed in Johns Pond, 

and describes the locations of the discharge areas of the 

SD-5 plume and a previously unknown TCE plume that 

were identified by use of the samplers. Additional 

information about the SD-5 and TCE ground-water 

plumes can be obtained from various reports by the 

Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. (1998b, 1999) . 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

The authors would like to thank Lee Perry of 

the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence, 

Larry J. Pannell of Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., and 

Donald Vroblesky of the U.S . Geological Survey for 

their support and advice; Joseph Montanaro of the 

USEPA for his analysis of the water-diffusion samples; 

Barry J. Irwin and Kenneth F. Parolski of the USGS 

Geologic Division for their scuba diving efforts ; 

Acknowledgments 3 
Lisa Bratton, Robert F. Breault, Kimberly W. Campo,


Michael J. Colombo, Matthew Gamache, Kathryn M.


Hess, Sarah P Hollinshead, George J. Lemay,


Jessica M. McAdams, and Donald J. Searles of the


USGS for their assistance with the construction,


installation and retrieval of the samplers; and Douglas


B. Kent of the USGS National Research Program for


the analysis of the boron and phosphorus samples.


STUDY METHODS


Diffusion samplers were used to determine the 

discharge areas ofVOCs entering Johns Pond. Two 

types of samplers were used-water-to-vapor and 

water-to-water diffusion samplers . Samplers were 

deployed three times in 1998 to locate the SD-5 plume 

and TCE plume discharge areas. 

Principles of Operation and Construction 

of Diffusion Samplers 

Diffusion samplers operate on the principle 

that VOCs will diffuse through a semipermeable 

membrane, such as polyethylene, until concentrations 

in air inside the vapor-diffusion samplers or in water 

inside the water-diffusion samplers reach equilibrium 

with concentrations in the water outside the sampler. 

Volatile organic compounds, such as TCE and 

tetrachloroethene (PCE), have high vapor pressures and 

readily partition into the vapor phase. Vapor-phase 

concentrations in this report are given in parts per 

billion by volume (ppb v), which is a volume per 

volume measurement. Aqueous-phase concentrations 

are reported in micrograms per liter (pg/L), which is 

a weight per volume measurement. In general, 

elevated vapor concentrations reflect elevated water 

concentrations . Vapor and water concentrations given 

in this report cannot be compared directly, however, 

because ofthe different units of measure. Conversion 

ofvapor concentrations to equivalent aqueous 

concentrations would require information on 

temperature and pressure at each sampling site and 

compound-specific partitioning data, as described by 

Henry's Law. Methods of construction and some 

applications ofwater- and vapor-diffusion samplers are 

described by Vroblesky (1998), Vroblesky and Hyde 

(1997), and Vroblesky and others (1996, 1999). 

Vapor-diffusion samplers were chosen as the 

primary sampling tool because they are easily 

constructed and deployed . For this reason, many 

samplers could be installed to delineate the discharge 

area precisely. Water-diffusion samplers also were 

installed at selected locations to measure the aqueousphase concentrations in the pore water of the pondbottom sediments. Water-diffusion samplers are 

somewhat more difficult to construct and deploy. 

Therefore, only a few water-diffusion samplers were 

deployed in this study. Water-column samplers 

were deployed at selected locations to determine if 

contaminants that were entering through the pond 

bottom were being diluted in the pond water. A watercolumn sampler was constructed by attaching diffusion 

samplers to a PVC stand at varying heights above the 

pond bottom . 

Avapor-diffusion sampler is constructed by 

placing an empty, uncapped, 40-mL glass vial in a 

polyethylene bag. After most of the air is pushed out of 

the bag, it is sealed and secured with a cable tie. The 

vial and bag are then enclosed in a second polyethylene 

bag to protect the sampler from water and sediment. 

Self-sealing zipper-lock bags were used in the first 

two deployments (April and July), while heat-sealed 

polyethylene tubing was used in the final deployment 

(November) . Finally, the sampler is attached to a 

surveying pin flag with cable ties . 

Awater-diffusion sampler is constructed by 

filling polyethylene tubing with deionized water and 

sealing both ends by knotting or heating. The water 

samplers are enclosed in a wire cage that is attached 

to a surveying pin flag . 

Deployment and Retrieval Schedule 

Diffusion samplers were deployed three times in 

1998 (April, July, and November) to determine if VOC 

contaminants were discharging into Johns Pond and to 

define the discharge areas. The study focused on the 

northwestern corner ofJohns Pond where the SD-5 

plume intersects the shoreline. The water-table 

contours (fig . 1) and seepage measurements made in 

earlier studies (Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., 1997b) 

indicated that the northwestern corner is a groundwater discharge area . Samplers were installed within 

425 ft of shore because studies by Pfannkuch and 

Winter (1984) demonstrated that most ground-water 

discharge to a pond typically occurs near the shore. The 

initial deployment of diffusion samplers, in April 1998, 

was conducted to determine if diffusion sampling 

would be useful for detecting VOCs in the pond 

bottom . Forty-six vapor-diffusion samplers were 

4 Delineation of Discharge Areas of TwoContaminant Plumes by Use of Diffusion Samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Mass., 1998 
installed at 23 locations along two transects in Johns 

Pond near where the SD-5 plume intersects the shore. 

Because the initial deployment was experimental, 

samplers were installed in duplicate (about 2 to 3 ft 

apart) to ensure sample recovery and repeatability. 

Sampling locations 1 through 19 extended from 20 to 

365 ft offshore along a line perpendicular to shore, and 

locations 20 through 23 were about 35 ft offshore along 

a line parallel to shore (fig . 3). On April 23, 1998, the 

samplers were retrieved from the pond after being 

allowed to equilibrate for eight days. 

A second deployment of samplers was installed 

on July 28-29, 1998, to map the areal extent of VOCs 

discovered in the first deployment. Samplers were 

emplaced at 134 locations along 9 transect lines that 

were 350 ft long and spaced 150 ft apart (fig . 4). 

Samplers were spaced 25 ft apart along the lines. 

Water-diffusion samplers were installed at eight 

locations . At two additional locations, water-column 

samplers were deployed with vapor-diffusion samplers 

attached to PVC stands at 0.2, 0.6, 1 .0, and 2.0 ft above 

the pond bottom. On August 10-11, 1998, the samplers 

were retrieved from the pond after being allowed to 

equilibrate for about two weeks . The two-week 

equilibration time was believed to be sufficient based 

on laboratory tests (Donald Vroblesky, written 

commun., 1998), field experience elsewhere in New 

England (Lyford and others, 1998, 1999; Savoie and 

others, 1999), and the permeable sandy pond-bottom 

sediments . To confirm the higher than expected TCE 

concentrations detected in August at line 7, water 

samples were collected at eight locations with a drivepoint sampler in September 1998 (fig . 5). 

A third deployment of samplers was installed 

on November 16-17, 1998, to map the areal extent 

of the higher than expected TCE concentrations found 

in August at line 7 . Samplers were emplaced at 110 

locations along 8 transects that were about 200 ft long 

and spaced 25 to 35 ft apart (fig . 6). Samplers were 

spaced 10 to 25 ft apart along the lines. Water-diffusion 

samplers were installed at 18 locations . At two 

additional locations, water-column samplers were 

deployed with vapor-diffusion samplers attached to 

PVC stands at 0.2, 0.6, 1 .0, and 2 .0 ft above the pond 

bottom. On one stand, water-diffusion samplers also 

were installed at 0.2 and 1 .0 ft above the pond bottom. 

On December 1-2, 1998, the samplers were retrieved 

from the pond after being allowed to equilibrate for 

two weeks. 

Installation and Retrieval Methods 

To install the samplers, lines were prepared 

using fisherman's sinking-pot-warp line with the 

samplers attached by clips at variable spacing for each 

deployment. A boat and compass were used to lay the 

lines on the pond bottom. The line endpoints were 

located with a sub-meter accuracy global-positioning 

system (GPS) unit. Scuba divers swam along each line, 

buried the samplers about 0.5 ft into the pond-bottom 

sediments by hand or with a trowel, and unclipped 

them from the line. The samplers were unclipped from 

the line because there was concern that a fisherman 

might accidently snag the main line with a fishing hook 

and pull the samplers out of the sediment. 

When samplers were retrieved, divers swam 

along the lines, clipped the samplers back on the 

lines, and then pulled them out of the sediment. The 

lines were hauled into a boat, where the vapor samplers 

were taken out of the outer bag and and then capped 

directly over the inner polyethylene bag. The water 

from the water-diffusion samplers was transferred into 

40-mL glass vials, preserved with hydrochloric acid, 

and chilled until analysis. Vapor samples were 

analyzed on site in a mobile laboratory by USEPA 

personnel. Water samples were shipped to the USEPA 

New England Regional Laboratory in Lexington, 

Mass ., for analysis. 

Collection of Water Samples with the 

Drive-Point Sampler 

Ten water samples were collected using a drivepoint sampler to confirm the higher than expected TCE 

concentrations detected at line 7 during the August 

diffusion sampling (fig . 5) . The sampler (K-V 

Associates, Falmouth, Mass., Macho sampling system) 

was constructed of5/8-inch-diameter steel casing lined 

with 3/16-inch-diameter polypropylene tubing; the 

casing was attached to a 0.85-ft-long slotted steel 

screen. The sampler was driven with a sliding hammer 

about 2 ft into the pond-bottom sediments . Several 

casing volumes ofwater were purged from the sampler 

before specific conductance and dissolved oxygen were 

measured and the samples were collected . The drivepoint sampler was then decontaminated with several 

casing volumes of distilled water. At sampling site 

KVDP-9, the drive-point sampler was used to collect a 

water sample from the pond water just above the pond 

bottom. Sampling sites were located with GPS. 

Study Methods 5 
22 

EXPLANATION 

21 

VAPOR-DIFFUSION SAMPLER 

LOCATION AND IDENTIFIER 

0 100 200 FEET 

I 

0 25 50 METERS 

Figure 3. Location of Storm Drain-5 plume (Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc ., 1998a) and diffusion samplers 

collected in April 1998 to delineate the Storm Drain-5 plume discharge area, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, 

Massachusetts . 

6 Delineation of Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes by Use of Diffusion Samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Mass., 1998 
f * " 

WD1 

Line 2 

Line 3 

* , WC2 

R JOHNS 

Line 4 

WD5 

wDS 

I POND 

,i+ Line 5 

R 

* Line 6 

* * + ``- Area shown 

" , in figures 5, 6, and 8 

WDS 

.I Line 7 

EXPLANATION 

Line $ I " VAPOR-DIFFUSION SAMPLER 

LOCATION-Samplers in each line 

are numbered sequentially from shore, 

starting with the number 2 

Line 9 

-WD6 Water-diffusion sampler 

location and identifier 

-WC2 Water-column sampler 

location and identifier 

Figure 4. Location of Storm Drain-5 plume (Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., 1998a) and diffusion samplers 

collected in August 1998 to delineate the Storm Drain-5 plume discharge area, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, 

Massachusetts . 

Study Methods 7 
KVDP-3 

KVDP-4 

0 50 FEET 

-L_J 

0 10 METERS 

KVDP-1 

KVDP-6 

.KVDP-5 KVDP-2, 9,10 

*. KVDP-8 

JOHNS POND 

Line 6 

Line 7 

EXPLANATION 

AUGUST 1998 VAPOR-DIFFUSION SAMPLER LOCATION 

KVDP-8 DRIVE-POINT SAMPLER LOCATION AND IDENTIFIER 

Figure 5. Location of drive-point water samples collected in September 1998 from discharge area of the previously unidentified trichloroethene plume, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts . 

8 Delineation of Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes by Useof Diffusion Samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Mass., 1998 
EXPLANATION 

VAPOR-DIFFUSION SAMPLER LOCATION-Samplers in each 

line are numbered sequentially from shore 

- WD3-4 Water-diffusion sampler location and identifier 

- WC4-8 Water-column sampler location and identifier 

Figure 6. Location of diffusion samplers collected in December 1998 to delineate the discharge area of the trichloroethene 

plume, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts . 

Study Methods 9 
Unfiltered water samples were collected in 

40-mL glass septum vials for immediate VOC 

analysis on site by the USEPA to help direct sample 

collection; the August sampling lines were no longer in 

place to orient the sampling locations . Duplicate VOC 

samples were preserved with hydrochloric acid and 

chilled for laboratory analysis . Samples for boron and 

phosphorus analysis were filtered through a 0 .45-gm 

filter and preserved with nitric acid for later analysis . 

Unfiltered samples for later nitrate plus nitrite analysis 

were chilled . 

Analysis of Vapor and Water Samples 

Vapor samples were analyzed on site for VOCs 

by USEPA personnel by means of the USEPA Region I 

standard air-screening method (U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency, 1998a). Vapor samples were 

analyzed within 3 to 4 hours of sample collection in 

order to reduce the possibility of compound 

degradation . On site analysis equipment included 

Photovac gas chromatographs equipped with 4-foot by 

1/8-inch SE-30 columns and photoionization detectors . 

Target compounds for the vapor-sample analyses on 

the Photovac gas chromatographs included TCE and 

PCE, which were presumed to be present from past site 

history. Selected water samples from the drive-point 

sampling were analyzed for VOCs on site with 

Photovac gas chromatographs by use of the 

USEPA Region I headspace-analysis method (U.S . 

Environmental Protection Agency, 1998b). All other 

aqueous samples were analyzed for VOCs at the 

USEPA New England Regional Laboratory with a 

gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer by use 

ofthe purge-and-trap USEPA method 8260B (U.S . 

Environmental Protection Agency, 1996). 

Water samples were analyzed for nitrate plus 

nitrite at the USEPA New England Regional 

Laboratory by use of USEPA method 300.0 (U.S . 

Environmental Protection Agency, 1993). Water 

samples were analyzed for boron and phosphorus by 

the USGS National Research Program by the method 

of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission 

spectroscopy (ICPAES) described by Coston and 

others (1998). 

DISCHARGE AREAS OF TWO 

CONTAMINANT PLUMES AT 

JOHNS POND 

VOCs were detected in the pore water in the 

pond-bottom sediments in two distinct zones: the SD-5 

plume discharge area and the discharge area of a 

previously unknown TCE plume. Drive-point water 

samples confirmed the results from the diffusion 

samplers in the discharge area of the TCE plume. Low 

concentrations ofVOCs were detected in the watercolumn samples collected in August over the SD-5 

plume discharge area; somewhat higher concentrations 

ofVOCs (particularly TCE) were detected in the watercolumn samples collected in December over the TCE 

plume discharge area. 

Storm Drain-5 Plume Discharge Area 

Results from the initial deployment ofdiffusion 

samplers in April 1998 showed the presence of TCE 

and PCE in pond-bottom sediments from about 100 

to 300 ft offshore (table 1) . In August 1998, TCE 

and PCE were detected in the SD-5 plume discharge 

area with concentrations as high as 890 and 

667 ppb v, respectively (table 6, at back of report) . 

Higher concentrations were detected in a separate area 

near the shore at line 7, with TCE concentrations as 

high as 47,000 ppb v. It is important to note that the 

reported vapor-phase concentrations for TCE and 

PCE (in ppb v) are much higher than the corresponding 

aqueous-phase concentrations (in pg/L) in the pore 

water because of the volatile nature ofthe compounds 

and the different units of measure . Some vapor 

samplers had dislodged over the 2-week period and 

were found floating just above the bottom sediments . 

Analyses of these samples are included in tables 1 and 

6 for completeness, but the reported concentrations 

may not reflect concentrations in the bottom-sediment 

pore water because it is not known when the 

samplers dislodged. 

Combined TCE and PCE vapor concentrations 

greater than 100 ppb v were detected in an area about 

1,000 ft wide parallel to the shoreline . The area extends 

from about 100 to 325 ft offshore at line 3, and 

becomes narrower to the south, extending from about 

300 to 350 ft offshore at line 8 (fig . 7). Lower concentrations of TCE and PCE were measured at scattered 

locations outside the main discharge area (table 6). 

Results ofdrilling by MMR IRP consultants into the 

10 Delineation of Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes by Use of Diffusion Samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Mass., 1998 
-- --

Table 1 . Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in vapor-diffusion samples collected from pore water in pondbottom sediments near the Storm Drain-5 plume, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, April 1998 

[Analysis by U S . Environmental Protection Agency. Locations of samplers are shown in figure 3. Locations were not surveyed . Detection limits vary


No , number ; ft, foot ; ppb v, parts per billion by volume ; --, sampler lost, <, value is less than method reporting limit; *, sampler found floating above pond


bottom, data less reliable, #, 87 ppb v of toluene detected] 

Trichloro- Tetrachloro- Distance Vapor-diffusion from shore ethene ethene 

sampler No. (TCE) (PCE) 

S D-5/0498/WV D001a 

SD-5/0498/W VD001b 

SD-5/0498/W VD002a 

SD-5/0498/WVD002b 

SD-5/0498/W VD003a 

SD-5/0498/W VD003b 

SD-5/0498/W V D004a 

SD-5/0498/W VD004b 

SD-5/0498/WVD005a 

SD-5/0498/WVD005b 

SD-5/0498/WVD006a 

SD-5/0498/WVD006b 

SD-5/0498/WVD007a 

SD-5/0498/WVD007b 

SD-5/0498/WVD008a 

SD-5/0498/WVD008b 

SD-5/0498/WVD009a 

SD-5/0498/WVD009b* 

SD-5/0498/WVD01 Oa 

SD-5/0498/WVD01 Ob* 

SD-5/0498/WVDOI 1 a 

SD-5/0498/WVDOl I b* 

SD-5/0498/WVDOl 2a* 

SD-5/0498/WVD012b 

(n) (ppb v) (ppb v) 

65 5 <6 

65 <4 <6 

85 <4 <6 

85 <4 <6 

105 <4 11 

105 <4 9 

125 <4 64 

125 <4 62 

145 4 65 

145 

165 5 32 

165 4 32 

185 11 6 

185 12 6 

205 7 <6 

205 9 <6 

225 52 <6 

225 4 <6 

245 206 <6 

245 9 <6 

265 204 7 

265 5 <6 

285 18 <6 

285 225 <6 

Trichloro- Tetrachloro- Distance Vapor-diffusion from shore ethene ethene 

sampler No. (TCE) (PCE) 

SD-5/0498/WVD013a*# 

SD-5/0498/W VDO l 3b* 

SD-5/0498/W VD014a 

SD-5/0498/WVD014b 

SD-5/0498/W VD015a 

SD-5/0498/W VD015b* 

SD-5/0498/W VD016a 

SD-5/0498/W VD016b 

SD-5/0498/W VDOl 7a 

SD-5/0498/W VD017b 

SD-5/0498/WVD018a 

SD-5/0498/WV DOI 8b 

SD-5/0498/W V D019a 

SD-5/0498/W V D019b 

SD-5/0498/W V D020a* 

SD-5/0498/W V D020b 

SD-5/0498/WVD021 a 

SD-5/0498/W V D021 b 

SD-5/0498/W V D022a 

SD-5/0498/W V D022b 

SD-5/0498/W V D023a 

SD-5/0498/W VD023b 

(ft) (ppb v) (ppb v) 

305 29 <6 

305 5 <6 

325 <4 <6 

325 <4 <6 

345 4 <6 

345 <4 <6 

365 <4 <6 

365 <4 <6 

50 <4 <6 

50 <4 <6 

35 <4 <6 

35 <4 <6 

20 <4 <6 

20 <4 <6 

35 <4 <6 

35 5 <6 

35 <4 <6 

35 <4 <6 

35 <4 <6 

35 <4 <6 

35 <4 <6 

35 <4 <6 

aquifer beneath the pond between April and June 1998 

confirm the location of the SD-5 plume and the area 

ofdischarge delineated by the results of the diffusion 

samplers (Jacobs Engineering Group, 1999). 

Trichloroethene Plume Discharge Area 

Results of the August sampling detected TCE 

vapor concentrations as high as 47,000 ppb v at line 7 

near the shore (75 to 175 ft offshore, fig. 7). To confirm 

these high TCE concentrations, water samples were 

collected in September 1998 directly from the pondbottom sediments using a drive-point sampler (fig . 5). 

Because the area was so close to shore, it was thought 

that the contamination might be derived from local 

septic-system effluent ; therefore, samples also were 

analyzed for nitrate plus nitrite, boron, and phosphorus, 

which typically are found in sewage-contaminated 

ground water. Drive-point sampling results for VOCs 

and the other species listed above are shown in table 2 . 

The drive-point samples confirmed the high TCE 

concentrations measured in the diffusion samples. TCE 

concentrations in these water samples were as high as 

1,100 pg/L. The drive-point samples showed 

concentrations of nitrate plus nitrite and phosphorus at 

background levels (defined as the levels at KVDP-1 

outside the discharge areas) ; boron concentrations also 

were at background levels, except for the two 

measurements from KVDP-3 and -4 that were slightly 

greater than the background level. Dissolved-oxygen 

concentrations in the TCE discharge area were greater 

than 5 milligrams per liter, and specific conductance 

was 60 to 123 microsiemens per centimeter. These low 

values suggested that the TCE was not associated with 

septic-system effluent . 

Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes at Johns Pond 1 1 
Line 1€

Line 2€

Line 3€

Storm Drain-5 plume 

discharge area 

Trichloroethene 

plume discharge area 

Line 7€

Line 8€

Line 9€

JOHNS 

POND 

EXPLANATION 

AREAL EXTENT OF DISCHARGE€

FOR STORM DRAIN-5€

AND TRICHLOROETHENE 

PLUMES- Defined byTCE 

plus PCE vapor concentrations, 

August 1998 

>100 ppb v€

>300 ppb v€

>1,000 ppb v 

>10,000 ppb v€

DIFFUSION SAMPLER LOCATION 

Figure 7. Discharge areas of Storm Drain-5 plume and the previously unidentified trichloroethene plume based 

on concentrations in vapor-diffusion samples, August 1998, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts (Storm 

Drain-5 plume path from Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc ., 1998a) . 

12 Delineation of Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes by Use of Diffusion Samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Mass., 1998 
--

-- --

Table 2. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and selected inorganic 

constituents in drive-point water samples collected near the trichloroethene plume, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, 

September 1998 

[Analysis by U.S . Environmental Protection Agency and Douglas B. Kent, U.S . Geological Survey. Locations of samplers are shown in figure 5 . Samples 

were collected about 2 feet below the pond bottom. No., number; pgJL, microgram per liter ; mg/L, milligram per liter ; pS/cm, microsiemen per centimeter; 

<, value is less than method detection limit; --, no analysis ; *, sample collected just above pond bottom ; **, estimated value is below the calibration range] 

1,2- Nitrate 

Trichloro- Dichloro- Specific plus PhosDrive-point ethene conduc- Dissolved nitrite Boron, phorus, 

sampler No. 

Latitude Longitude ethane (cis- and tance oxygen (mg/L as 

dissolved ° (TCE) dissolved trans-) (mg/L) (mg/L) (Ng/L) 

KVDP-1 (background) 41 3757.88 7031 29.44 <5 

KVDP-2 41 3756.45 7031 29.48 1,100 

KVDP-3 41 3756.83 7031 30.28 12 

KVDP-4 41 3756.67 7031 30.03 160 

KVDP-5 41 3756.48 7031 29.82 660 

KVDP-6 41 3757.01 7031 29.33 8 

KVDP-7 41 3755 .91 7031 29.42 **4 

KVDP-8 41 3756.26 7031 29.25 910 

KVDP-9* 41 3756.45 7031 29.48 46 

KVDP-10 41 3756.45 7031 29.48 1,100 

Trip Blank <5 

In the vapor-diffusion samples collected in 

December 1998, TCE vapor concentrations as high 

as 42,800 ppb v were measured (table 3). This 

concentration is similar to the vapor concentration of 

47,000 ppb v measured in the same general area (line 7 

near the shore) in August 1998. The discharge area of 

the presumed TCE plume is only about 75 ft wide, and 

extends from 25 to 200 ft offshore. The area ofgreatest 

TCE concentration is located 40 to 90 ft from shore 

(fig . 8) . 

Three features of the TCE plume discharge 

area suggest that it represents the discharge of a 

different plume than the SD-5 plume. First, the 

maximum TCE concentration in the TCE discharge 

area is about 50 times greater than the maximum 

TCE concentration measured in the SD-5 plume 

discharge area. Second, the area of the highest TCE 

concentrations (greater than 10,000 ppb v) is separated 

laterally from the SD-5 plume discharge area by about 

135 ft (figs . 8 and 9). Third, TCE is the predominant 

species detected nearshore, whereas both TCE and 

PCE are detected in the SD-5 plume discharge area 

(see lines 6-8 at distances greater than 225 ft offshore 

in table 6). Subsequent drilling by MMR IRP 

consultants in December 1998 confirmed that the TCE 

(DCE) (NS/cm) N) (mg/L) 

(Ng/L) 

<5 90 2.7 1 .62 0.012 <0.1 

<250 119 5 .3 .006 <.1 

<5 84 10 .9 .31 .018 <.1 

<25 75 8 .61 .016 <.1 

<125 113 7 .96 .007 <.1 

<5 83 15 .88 .009 <.1 

<5 60 6.9 .44 .005 <.1 

<125 123 7 .3 1 .05 .005 <.1 

12 

<250 101 7 .3 1 .05 .004 <.1 

<5 

plume is separate from the SD-5 plume and appears to 

represent a finger of the Chemical Spill-10 plume that 

originates northwest of Johns and Ashumet Ponds. 

As it approaches Johns Pond, the TCE plume is 

100 ft wide and extends from about 60 to 110 ft below 

the water table at the shoreline (Jacobs Engineering 

Group, 1999). 

Results from Water-Diffusion Samplers 

Water-diffusion samplers were installed in the 

July and November deployments at selected locations 

to determine aqueous-phase concentrations ofVOCs in 

pore water in the pond-bottom sediments (figs . 4 and 

6). Low concentrations ofthe compounds TCE, PCE, 

and 1,2-dichloroethene (DCE) were detected in the two 

water-diffusion samples (WD3 and WD4, fig . 4) 

collected from the pond-bottom sediments within the 

SD-5 plume discharge area in August 1998 (table 4). 

The other six samplers were not placed within the SD-5 

plume discharge area, and VOCs were not detected in 

any ofthese samples. 

Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes at Johns Pond 13 
Table 3. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in vapor-diffusion samples collected from pore water in pondbottom sediments near the trichloroethene plume, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, December 1998 

[Analysis by U.S . Environmental Protection Agency . Locations of samplers are shown in figure 6. Detection limits vary. D, duplicate sample; ft, foot; 

No., number; ppb v, parts per billion by volume; --, no analysis; <, value is less than method reporting limit, *, sampler not mpond-bottom sediments; 

**, estimated value is below the calibration range; ***, inner bag punctured, data less reliable] 

Vapor-diffusion 

sampler No. 

TCE/1298/WVDI-1 

TCE/1298/WVDI-2 

TCE/1298/WVDI-3 

TCE/1298/WVDI-4 

TCE/1298/WVDI-4-D 

TCE/1298/WVD1-5 

TCE/1298/WVD1-6 

TCE/1298/WVDI-7 

TCE/1298/WVDI-8 

TCE/1298/WVDI-9 

TCE/1298/WVDI-10 

TCE/1298/WVD2-1 

TCE/1298/WVD2-2 

TCE/1298/WVD2-3 

TCE/l298/WVD2-4 

TCE/1298/WVD2-5* 

TCE/1298/WVD2-6 

TCE/1298/WVD2-7* 

TCE/1298/WVD2-8 

TCE/1298/WVD2-9 

TCE/1298/WVD2-10 

TCE/1298/WVD2-1 1 

TCE/1298/WVD2-12 

TCE/1298/WVD2-13 

TCE/1298/WVD2-14*** 

TCE/1298/WVD2-15 

TCE/1298/WVD3-1 

TCE/1298/WVD3-2 

TCE/1298/WVD3-3* 

TCE/1298/WVD3-4 

TCE/1298/WVD3-5 

TCE/1298/WVD3-6 

TCE/1298/WVD3-7 

TCE/1298/WVD3-7-D 

TCE/1298/WVD3-8 

TCE/1298/WVD3-9 

TCE/1298/WVD3-10 

TCE/1298/WVD3-11 

TCE/1298/WVD3-12 

TCE/1298/WVD3-13 

TCE/1298/WVD3-14 

TCE/1298/WVD3-15 

Distance Trichloro- TetrachloroLatitude Longitude from ethene ethene 

° "' ° "' shore (TCE) (PCE) 

(ft) (ppb v (ppb v) 

41 3757.43 7031 30 .45 12 <5 <10 

41 3757.43 7031 30 .28 25 6 <10 

41 3757.41 7031 29 .95 50 <5 <10 

41 3757.40 7031 29 .62 75 <5 <10 

41 3757.40 7031 29 .62 75 <5 <10 

41 3757.39 7031 29 .29 100 <5 <10 

41 3757.38 7031 28 .97 125 <5 <10 

41 3757.36 7031 28.64 150 <5 <10 

41 3757.35 7031 28 .31 175 <5 <10 

41 3757.34 7031 27.98 200 <5 <10 

41 3757.33 7031 27.65 225 5 <10 

41 3757.08 7031 30.52 12 <5 <10 

41 3757.07 7031 30 .36 25 15 <10 

41 37 57.07 7031 30 .19 37 .5 **4 <10 

41 3757.06 7031 30 .03 50 <5 <10 

41 3757.05 7031 29 .86 67.5 21 <10 

41 3757.04 7031 29 .70 75 19 <10 

41 3757.04 7031 29 .54 87 .5 13 <10 

41 3757.03 7031 29 .37 100 <5 <10 

41 3757.02 7031 29 .21 112.5 <5 <10 

41 3757.01 7031 29 .04 125 <5 <10 

41 3757.00 7031 28 .88 137.5 <5 <10 

41 3757.00 7031 28 .71 150 <5 <10 

41 3756.98 7031 28 .38 175 <5 <10 

41 3756.96 7031 28 .06 200 <5 <10 

41 3756.95 7031 27 .73 225 <5 <10 

41 3756.84 7031 30 .50 12 <5 <10 

41 3756.83 7031 30 .33 25 41 <10 

41 3756.82 7031 30 .17 37.5 69 <10 

41 3756.81 7031 30 .01 50 56 <10 

41 3756.80 7031 29 .84 67.5 13 <10 

41 3756.79 7031 29.68 75 5 <10 

41 3756.78 7031 29.51 87.5 <5 <10 

41 3756.78 7031 29.51 87.5 <5 <10 

41 3756.77 7031 29.35 100 <5 <10 

41 3756.76 7031 29.18 112.5 <5 <10 

41 3756.75 7031 29.02 125 <5 <10 

41 3756.74 7031 28.85 137.5 <5 <10 

41 3756.74 7031 28.69 150 <5 <10 

41 3756.72 7031 28.36 175 50 <10 

41 3756.70 7031 28.03 200 5 <10 

41 3756.68 7031 27.70 225 15 <10 

14 Delineation of Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes by Use of Diffusion Samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Mass., 1998 
Table 3. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in vapor-diffusion samples collected from pore water in pondbottom sediments near the trichloroethene plume, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, December 1998-Continued 

Vapor-diffusion 

sampler No. 

TCE/1298/WVD4-1 

TCE/1298/WVD4-2 

TCE/1298/WVD4-3 

TCE/1298/WVD4-4 

TCE/1298/WVD4-5 

TCE/1298/WVD4-5-D 

TCE/1298/WVD4-6 

TCE/1298/WVD4-7 

TCE/1298/WVD4-8*** 

TCE/1298/WVD4-9 

TCE/1298/WVD4-10 

TCE/1298/WVD4-11 

TCE/1298/WVD4-12 

TCE/1298/WVD4-13 

TCE/1298/WVD4-14 

TCE/1298/WVD4-15* 

TCE/1298/WVD5-1 

TCE/1298/WVD5-2 

TCE/1298/WVD5-3 

TCE/1298/WVD5-4 

TCE/1298/WVD5-5 

TCE/1298/WVD5-6 

TCE/1298/WVD5-7 

TCE/1298/WVD5-7-D 

TCE/1298/WVD5-8 

TCE/I298/WVD5-9 

TCE/1298/WVD5-10 

TCE/1298/WVD5-11 

TCE/1298/WVD5-1 I-D 

TCE/1298/WVD5-12 

TCE/1298/WVD5-13 

TCE/1298/WVD5-14 

TCE/1298/WVD5-15* 

Distance Trichloro- TetrachloroLatitude Longitude from ethene ethene 

o '" o '" shore (TCE) (PCE) 

(ft) (ppb v (ppb v) 

41 37S6.60 70 31 30 .58 12 <5 <10 

41 3756.59 70 31 30 .42 25 75 <10 

41 3756.58 70 31 30 .26 37 .5 7,680 <200 

41 3756.58 70 31 30 .09 50 41,300 <200 

41 3756.57 7031 29 .93 67 .5 37,600 <200 

41 3756.57 70 31 29 .93 67 .5 42,800 <200 

41 3756.56 70 31 29 .76 75 6,310 <200 

41 3756.55 7031 29 .60 87 .5 1,580 <50 

41 3756.55 7031 29 .43 100 389 <40 

41 3756.54 70 31 29 .27 112.5 430 <40 

41 3756.53 70 31 29 .10 125 101 <10 

41 3756.52 70 31 28 .94 137.5 133 <10 

41 3756.52 70 31 28 .77 150 7,460 <50 

41 3756.50 70 31 28 .45 175 220 <10 

41 3756.49 70 31 28 .12 200 2,170 10** 

41 3756.47 7031 27 .79 225 6 <10 

41 3756.36 70 31 30 .62 12 7 <10 

41 3756.35 7031 30 .45 25 9 <10 

41 3756.34 7031 30 .29 37.5 682 <80 

41 3756.33 7031 30.12 50 9,620 <200 

41 3756.32 7031 29.96 67.5 23,400 <200 

41 3756.31 70 31 29.79 75 21,200 <200 

41 3756.31 7031 29.63 87 .5 13,200 <200 

41 3756.31 7031 29.63 87 .5 12,800 <200 

41 3756.30 70 31 29.46 100 9,470 <200 

41 3756.29 70 31 29.30 112.5 4,730 <80 

41 3756.28 70 31 29.14 125 738 <80 

41 3756.27 70 31 28 .97 137.5 11 <10 

41 3756.27 70 31 28 .97 137.5 11 <10 

41 3756.26 70 31 28 .81 150 <5 <10 

41 37 56 .24 70 31 28 .48 175 71 <15 

41 3756.23 70 31 28 .15 200 5 <10 

41 3756.21 70 31 27 .82 225 <5 <10 

Discharge Areas of TwoContaminant Plumes at Johns Pond 15 
Table 3. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in vapor-diffusion samples collected from pore water in pondbottom sediments near the trichloroethene plume, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, December 1998-Continued 

Vapor-diffusion 

sampler No. 

TCE/1298/WVD6-1 

TCE/1298/WVD6-2 

TCE/1298/WVD6-3 

TCE/1298/WVD6-4 

TCE/1298/WVD6-4-D 

TCE/1298/WVD6-5 

TCE/1298/WVD6-6 

TCE/1298/WVD6-7 

TCE/1298/WVD6-8 

TCE/1298/WVD6-9 

TCE/1298/WVD6-9-D 

TCE/1298/WVD6-10 

TCE/1298/WVD6-11 

TCE/1298/WVD6-12 

TCE/I298/WVD6-13 

TCE/1298/WVD6-14 

TCE/1298/WVD6-15 

TCE/1298/WVD7-1 

TCE/1298/WVD7-2 

TCE/1298/WVD7-3 

TCE/1298/WVD7-4* 

TCE/1298/WVD7-5 

TCE/1298/WVD7-6 

TCE/1298/WVD7-7 

TCE/1298/WVD7-7-D 

TCE/1298/WVD7-8 

TCE/1298/WVD7-9 

TCE/1298/WVD7-10 

TCE/1298/WVD7-11 

TCE/1298/WVD7-12 

TCE/1298/WVD7-13 

TCE/1298/WVD7-14 

TCE/1298/WVD7-15 

TCE/1298/WVD8-1 

TCE/1298/WVD8-2 

TCE/1298/WVD8-3 

TCE/1298/WVD8-4 

TCE/1298/WVD8-5 

TCE/1298/WVD8-5-D 

TCE/1298/WVD8-6 

TCE/1298/WVD8-7 

TCE/1298/WVD8-8 

TCE/1298/WVD8-9 

TCE/1298/WVD8-10 

Distance Trichloro- TetrachloroLatitude Longitude " 

from ethane ethane 

° shore (TCE) (PCE) 

(n) (ppb v (ppb 

41 3756.11 7031 30 .63 12 <5 <10 

41 3756.10 7031 30 .46 25 12 <10 

41 3756.09 7031 30 .30 37 .5 19 <10 

41 3756.08 7031 30.14 50 118 <10 

41 3756.08 7031 30.14 50 277 <10 

41 3756.08 7031 29.97 67.5 353 <40 

41 3756.07 7031 29 .81 75 402 <40 

41 3756.06 7031 29 .64 87.5 346 <40 

41 3756.05 7031 29 .48 100 150 <15 

41 3756.04 7031 29 .31 112.5 <5 <10 

41 3756.04 7031 29.31 112.5 <5 <10 

41 3756.04 7031 29.15 125 <5 <10 

41 3756.03 7031 28 .98 137.5 14 <10 

41 3756.02 70 31 28 .82 150 5 <10 

41 3756.00 7031 28 .49 175 <5 <10 

41 3755.99 7031 28 .16 200 <5 <10 

41 3755.97 7031 27 .83 225 <5 <10 

41 3755.85 7031 30 .66 12 <5 <10 

41 3755.84 7031 30.50 25 17 <10 

41 3755.83 7031 30.33 37 .5 38 <10 

41 3755.81 7031 30.17 50 29 <10 

41 3755.80 7031 30.00 67 .5 <5 <10 

41 3755.79 70 31 29 .84 75 <5 <10 

41 3755.78 7031 29 .67 87 .5 <5 <10 

41 3755.78 7031 29 .67 87.5 <5 <10 

41 3755.77 7031 29 .51 100 <5 <10 

41 3755.75 7031 29.35 112.5 <5 <10 

41 3755.74 7031 29.18 125 <5 <10 

41 3755.73 7031 29.02 137.5 5 <10 

41 3755.72 7031 28 .85 150 6 <10 

41 3755.69 7031 28 .52 175 <5 <10 

41 3755 .67 7031 28 .19 200 <5 <10 

41 3755 .65 7031 27 .87 225 <5 <10 

41 3755.48 7031 30 .67 12 <5 <10 

41 3755.47 7031 30 .50 25 9 <10 

41 3755.45 7031 30 .17 50 7 <10 

41 3755.43 7031 29 .84 75 <5 <10 

41 3755.41 7031 29 .51 100 <5 <10 

41 3755.41 7031 29 .51 100 <5 <10 

41 3755.39 7031 29 .19 125 <5 <10 

41 3755.37 7031 28 .86 150 5 <10 

41 3755.36 7031 28 .53 175 <5 <10 

41 3755.34 7031 28 .20 200 <5 <10 

41 3755.32 7031 27.87 225 <5 <10 

16 Delineation of Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes by Use of Diffusion Samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Mass., 1998 
JOHNS 

POND 

w 

0 

r 

" " Line 7 

EXPLANATION 

AREAL EXTENT OF DISCHARGE OF 

71 

TRICHLOROETHENE PLUME-Defined by 

0 50 FEET TCEvapor concentrations, December 1998 

>100 ppb v 

0 10 METERS 

>1,000 ppb v 

>10,000 ppb v 

" DIFFUSION SAMPLER LOCATION 

Figure 8. Discharge area of the trichloroethene plume based on concentrations in vapor-diffusion samples, December 

1998, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. 

Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes at Johns Pond 17 
STORM DRAIN-5 PLUME 

AREA OF DISCHARGE 

(AUGUST 1998) 

JOHNS

EXPLANATION POND 

-AREAL EXTENT OF TRICHLOROETHENE PLUS 

TETRACHLOROETHENE VAPOR CONCENTRATIONS 

GREATER THAN 100 ppb v TRICHLOROETHENE PLUME 

AREA OF DISCHARGE, 

" DIFFUSION SAMPLER LOCATION (DECEMBER 1998) 

100 200 300 400 FEET 

50 100 METERS 

Figure 9. Discharge areas and plume paths of the Storm Drain-5 and trichloroethene plumes, August and December 

1998, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts (plume paths from Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc ., 1999). 

TCE was detected in the 13 water-diffusion 

samples collected from the pond-bottom sediments 

within the TICE plume discharge area in December 

1998 (fig . 6, table 4). The TICE concentrations in the 

water-diffusion samples ranged from 2 to 1,200 p,g/L. 

The other five water-diffusion samplers were not 

placed within the TICE discharge area, and TCE was 

not detected in any of these samples. The relationship 

between TICE concentrations measured in the vapordiffusion samples (in ppb v) and the corresponding 

water-diffusion samples (in gg/L) for December 

1998 is shown in figure 10. The vapor concentrations 

in ppb v were 19 to 75 times greater than the 

corresponding water concentrations in pg/L and 

averaged about 35 times greater. Because the 

equilibrium partitioning of VOCs between water and 

vapor varies as a function of temperature and pressure, 

the relationship cited here may not be applicable to 

other sites or other sampling events at this site . 

Results from Water-Column Samplers 

Water-column samplers were installed in the 

July and November deployments at selected locations 

to determine if contaminants entering the pond through 

the pond bottom were being diluted in the pond water. 

An estimated 11 ppb v of TICE was detected in each 

of the water-column diffusion samples WCIb, WCIc, 

and WCId set above the SD-5 plume discharge area 

in August 1998 (table 5, fig . 4) . At this location the 

sample from the adjacent vapor-diffusion sampler in 

the pond-bottom sediments (SD-5/0898/WVD4-8) 

contained TCE and PCE at 250 and 34 ppb v, 

respectively. Thus, the TCE concentration in the pond 

water just above the bottom was about 20 times less 

than the concentration in the corresponding vapordiffusion sampler emplaced in the pond-bottom 

sediments . The WC2 water-column samplers were not 

installed in the discharge area, and VOCs were not 

detected in any samples. 

1 8 Delineation of Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes by Use of Diffusion Samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Mass., 1998 
Table 4. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in water-diffusion and adjacent vapor-diffusion samples collected 

from pore water in pond-bottom sediments, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, August and December 1998 

[Analysis by U.S . Environmental Protection Agency. Locations ofsamplers are shown in figures 4 and 6 . Coordinates ofvapor-diffusion samplers are shown 

in tables 3 and 6 . Detection limits vary. D, duplicate sample; No., number; ppb v, parts per billion by volume; pg/L, micrograms per liter; <, value is less than 

method reporting limit ; *, sampler not in pond-bottom sediments ; ***, inner bag punctured] 

Aqueous phase 

1,2- Adjacent Water-diffusion Trichloro- Tetrachloro- dichloro- vapor-diffusion sampler No. ethene ethane 

(TCE) ethene sampler No. (PCE) (DCE) (Pg/L) (Ng/L) (Ng/L) 

Storm Drain-5 Plume, August 1998 

WDl <1 <I <1 SD-5/0898/WV DI-II* 

WD2 <1 <1 <1 SD-5/0898/WVD2-5 

WD3 5 1 1 SD-5/0898/WVD3-9 

WD4 5 <1 2 SD-5/0898/WVD4-8 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-8-D 

WD5 <1 <1 <1 SD-5/0898/WVD5-15 

WD6 <1 <1 <1 SD-5/0898/WVD6-6 

WD8 <1 <1 <1 SD-5/0898/WVD8-8 

WD9 <1 <I <1 SD-5/0898/WVD9-3 

Trip Blank <1 <1 <1 

Water Blank <1 <1 <1 

Trichloroethene Plume, December 1998 

WD3-4 2 <5 <5 

WD3-6 <5 <5 <5 

WD4-3 180 <50 <50 

WD4-4 1,200 <200 <200 

WD4-6 260 <50 <50 

WD4-8 17 <5 <5 

WD4-10 2 <5 <5 

WD5-4 370 <50 <50 

WD5-6 690 <100 <100 

WD5-8 260 <50 <50 

WD5-10 38 <5 <5 

WD6-4 4 <5 <5 

WD6-6 13 <5 <5 

WD6-8 2 <5 <5 

WD6-10 <5 <5 <5 

WD6-12 <5 <5 <5 

WD8-8 <5 <5 <5 

WD8-10 <5 <5 <5 

Trip Blank <5 <5 <5 

Water Blank <5 <5 <5 

TCE/1298/WVD3-4 

TCE/1298/WVD3-6 

TCE/1298/WVD4-3 

TCE/1298/WVD4-4 

TCE/1298/WVD4-6 

TCE/1298/WVD4-8*** 

TCE/1298/WVD4-10 

TCE/1298/WVD5-4 

TCE/1298/WVD5-6 

TCE/1298/WVD5-8 

TCE/1298/WVD5-10 

TCE/1298/WVD6-4 

TCE/1298/WVD6-4-D 

TCE/1298/WVD6-6 

TCE/1298/WVD6-8 

TCE/1298/WVD6-10 

TCE/1298/WVD6-12 

TCE/1298/WVD8-8 

TCE/1298/WVD8-10 

Vapor phase 

Trichloro- Tetrachloroethene ethane 

(TCE) (PCE) 

(ppb v) (ppb v) 

<12 <18 

13 20 

680 96 

250 34 

215 38 

<12 <18 

<12 <18 

39 <18 

<12 <18 

56 <10 

5 <10 

7,680 <200 

41,300 <200 

6,310 <200 

389 <40 

101 <10 

9,620 <200 

21,200 <200 

9,470 <200 

738 <80 

118 <10 

277 <10 

402 <40 

150 <15 

<5 <10 

5 <10 

<5 <10 

<5 <10 

Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes at Johns Pond 1 9 
2,000 

1,800 

1,600 

1,400 

1,200 

1,000 

(/j 800 

z

O 600 Q 

400 

z m

U w 200 

O ~

Uir 0 

Cf.) a 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 

w5 

O ~ 50 

w 0 45 

WU 

~ g 40 

m

O 

30 

U 

25 

20 

15 

10 

5 .- = 

e 

0 

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 

TRICHLOROETHENE VAPOR CONCENTRATIONS, 

IN PARTS PER BILLION BY VOLUME 

Figure 10. Relation between trichloroethene concentrations in vapor- and 

water-diffusion samples collected in December 1998, Johns Pond, Cape 

Cod, Massachusetts. 

Discharge Areas of TwoContaminant Plumes at Johns Pond 20 
-- -- --

-- -- --

Table 5. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in diffusion samples collected from the pond water column and 

adjacent pond-bottom sediments, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, August and December 1998 

(Analysis by U.S . Environmental Protection Agency. Locations of samplers are shown in figure 4 and 6. Detection limits vary. No., number; ft, foot; ppb v, 

parts per billion by volume; pg/L, microgram per liter, --, no analysis; <, value is less than method reporting limit ; **, estimated value is below the calibration 

range ;***, inner bag punctured] 

Water Height Vapor phase Aqueous phase Vapor phase 

column	 above Trichloro- Tetrachloro- Trichloro- Tetrachloro- 1,2-dichloro- Adjacent sampler in Trichloro- Tetrachloro­ pond pond-bottom sedi­ sam- bottom ethene ethene ethene ethane ethene 

pler No. (ft) (TCE) (PCE) (TCE) (PCE) (DCE) ments 

(ppb v) (ppb v) (Ng/L) (Ng/L) (Ng/L) 

ethene ethene 

(TCE) (PCE) 

(ppb v) (ppb v) 

250 34 

250 34 

250 34 

250 34 

16 32 

16 32 

16 32 

16 32 

389 <40 

389 <40 

389 <40 

389 <40 

9,470 <200 

9,470 <200 

9,470 <200 

9,470 <200 

WCIa 0.2 <12 <18 

WClb .6 **l1 <18 

WClc 1 .0 **11 <18 

WCld 2.0 **11 <18 

WC2a .2 <12 <18 

WC2b .6 <12 <18 

WC2c 1 .0 <12 <18 

WC2d 2.0 <12 <18 

WC4-8a .2 321 <40 

WC4-8b .6 39 <10 

WC4-8c 1 .0 32 <10 

WC4-8d 2.0 24 <10 

WC5-8a .2 329 <10 

WC5-8b .6 34 <10 

WC5-8c 1 .0 30 <10 

WC5-8d 2 .0 26 <10 

Storm Drain-5, August 1998 

SD-5/0898/W VD4-8 

SD-5/0898/W VD4-8 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-8 

SD-5/0898/W VD4-8 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-14 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-14 

SD-5/0898/W VD4-14 

SD-5/0898/W VD4-14 

Trichloroethene Plume, December 1998 

TCE/1298/WVD4-8** 

TCE/1298/WVD4-8** 

TCE/ 1298/WVD4-8 

TCE/1298/WVD4-8*** 

13 TCE/1298/WVD5-8 

TCE/1298/WVD5-8 

<5 TCE/ 1298/WV D5-8 

TCE/1298/WVD5-8 

8 <5 

<5 <5 

More than 300 ppb v of TCE was detected 

in samples from water-column samplers WC4-8a 

and WC5-8a set 0 .2 ft above the pond bottom 

(table 5, fig . 6) in the TCE plume discharge area 

in December 1998. Samples from the other three 

samplers on the PVC stand at WC4-8 and WC5-8 

(set 0 .6, 1 .0, and 2.0 ft above the pond bottom) had 

TCE vapor concentrations ranging from 24 to 39 ppb v. 

The adjacent vapor-diffusion samplers in the pondbottom sediments (TCE/1298/WVD4-8 and 

TCE/1298/WVD5-8) also contained TCE. Vapor 

sampler TCE/1298/WVD4-8 contained TCE at 389 

ppb v; however, the inner bag had been punctured and 

vapors could have escaped before the bottle was 

capped. Vapor sampler TCE/1298/WVD5-8 contained 

TCE at 9,470 ppb v. Thus, at site TCE/1298/WVD5-8, 

the TCE vapor concentration in the pond water just 

above the bottom was about 30 times less than the 

concentration in the corresponding vapor-diffusion 

sampler emplaced in the pond-bottom sediments . Two 

water-diffusion samplers were installed on the WC5-8 

stand at 0.2 and 1 .0 ft above the pond bottom. 

Aqueous-phase TCE and DCE were detected at low 

concentrations in sample WC5-8a (non-detect to 13 

pg/L) at a height of 0.2 ft above the pond bottom . 

These results indicate that contaminants that enter the 

pond through the pond bottom are diluted by the pond 

water just above the pond bottom. 

SUMMARY 

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are 

present in the Storm Drain-5 (SD-5) ground-water 

plume, which extends from the Massachusetts 

Military Reservation (MMR) toward Johns Pond, 

Mashpee, Massachusetts . The Air Force Center for 

Environmental Excellence (AFCEE) sought to confirm 

Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes at Johns Pond 21 
that contaminants from the SD-5 plume are discharging 

into Johns Pond. In 1998, the U.S . Geological 

Survey, in cooperation with AFCEE and the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency, used diffusion 

samplers to determine the location and concentrations 

ofVOCs in pore water in the bottom sediments of 

Johns Pond near the suspected discharge area of the 

SD-5 plume. 

An array of diffusion samplers was buried 

by divers in the bottom of Johns Pond to delineate 

the pond-bottom discharge area based on vapor 

concentrations of trichloroethene (TCE) and 

tetrachloroethene (PCE). The SD-5 plume discharge 

area identified from the diffusion-sampler results is 

about 1,000 ft wide and extends from about 100 to 350 

ft from shore. Total vapor concentrations of TCE and 

PCE in the SD-5 plume discharge area were as great 

as 1,105 parts per billion by volume. 

Apreviously unidentified area of TCE was found 

near the shore during the delineation ofthe SD-5 plume 

discharge area. TCE vapor concentrations in this area 

were about 50 times greater than the maximum TCE 

concentration measured in the SD-5 plume discharge 

area. TCE concentrations in water samples collected 

from a drive-point sampler in this area were as high as 

1,100 pg/L. A second array of diffusion samplers was 

used to delineate the TCE discharge area. The area is 

about 75 ft wide and extends from 25 to 200 ft from 

shore. Subsequent drilling into the pond bottom and 

onshore by MMR IRP consultants confirmed that the 

area of high TCE is associated with a distinct TCE 

plume that is not related to the SD-5 plume. 

TCE concentrations in pg/L in water-diffusion 

samples from 15 selected sites in the two discharge 

areas were about 35 times lower than the TCE 

concentrations in ppb v in corresponding vapordiffusion samples. The difference in values is due to the 

volatile nature ofTCE and the different units of 

measure . The relation may not be applicable to other 

sites because oflocal differences in temperature and 

pressure. 

TCE was detected in diffusion samplers set in 

the pond water column above the plume-discharge 

areas, but the TCE concentrations were 20 to 30 

times lower than the corresponding levels in diffusion 

samplers buried in the pond bottom. The low, but 

detectable, levels found in the water-column samples 

indicate that the plume waters become diluted a short 

distance above the pond bottom. 

Diffusion samplers installed by divers in water 

up to 30 ft deep at two sites in Johns Pond were used 

successfully to delineate the discharge areas of two 

plumes, one of which was first detected during this 

effort . Diffusion samplers proved to be a valuable tool 

in the investigation of the fate of ground-water 

contaminant plumes as they discharge into ponds. 

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inorganic solutes, in Savoie, Jennifer, and LeBlanc, 

DR., eds., Water-quality data and methods of analysis 

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Massachusetts, 1993-94 : U.S . Geological Survey 

Water-Resources Investigations Report 97-4269, 

p. 19-21. 

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Engineering Group, Inc., October 1997, various 

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compounds in ground water, TNXflood plain, 

Savannah River Site, South Carolina : U.S . Geological 

Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 

99-4071, 43 p. 

Vroblesky, D.A., Rhodes, L.C ., Robertson, J.F ., and 

Harrigan, J.A., 1996, Locating VOC contamination in a 

fractured-rock aquifer at the ground-water/surfacewater interface using passive vapor collectors : Ground 

Water, v. 34, no. 2, p. 223-230. 

References Cited 23 
TABLE 6 
-- --

-- --

-- --

-- --

Table 6. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in vapor-diffusion samples collected from pore water in pondbottom sediments near the Storm Drain-5 plume, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, August 1998 

[Analysis by U.S . Environmental Protection Agency. Locations of samplers are shown in figure 4. Detection limits vary. D, duplicate sample; No., number; 

ft, feet ; ppb v, parts per billion by volume; --, sampler lost ; <, value is less than method reporting limit; *, sampler found floating above pond bottom, 

data less reliable ; **, estimated value is below the calibration range] 

Vapor-diffusion 

sampler No. 

SD-5/0898/WVDI-2 

SD-5/0898/WVDI-3 

SD-5/0898/WVDI-4 

SD-5/0898/WVDI-5 

SD-5/0898/WVDI-6 

SD-5/0898/WVD1-7 

SD-5/0898/WVDI-8 

SD-5/0898/WVDI-9 

SD-5/0898/WVD1-9-D 

SD-5/0898/WVDI-10 

SD-5/0898/WVD1-11 * 

SD-5/0898/WVDI-12 

SD-5/0898/WVDI-13 

SD-5/0898/WVDI-14 

SD-5/0898/WVD1-15 

SD-5/0898/WVD1-16 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-2 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-3 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-4 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-5 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-6 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-7 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-8 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-9 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-10 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-11 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-12 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-13 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-14 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-14-D 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-15 

SD-5/0898/WVD2-16 

Distance Trichloro- TetrachloroLatitude Longitude from shore ethene ethene 

(ft) (ppb v) (ppb v) 

41 3804.15 7031 25 .76 75 

41 3804.03 7031 25 .47 100 

41 3803.90 7031 25 .19 125 <12 <18 

41 3803.78 70 31 24.90 150 <12 <18 

41 3803.66 7031 24.62 175 

41 3803.54 7031 24.33 200 <12 <18 

41 3803 .41 7031 24.04 225 <12 <18 

41 3803 .29 70 31 23.76 250 <12 <18 

41 3803 .29 7031 23.76 250 <12 <18 

41 3803 .17 7031 23.47 275 <12 <18 

41 3803 .05 7031 23.19 300 <12 <18 

41 3802.92 703122.90 325 <12 <18 

41 3802.80 7031 22.62 350 <12 <18 

41 3802.68 7031 22.33 375 <12 <18 

41 3802.56 7031 22.04 400 **7 <18 

41 3802.43 7031 21 .76 425 

° ," ° ," (TCE) (PCE) 

41 3803.28 7031 27.31 75 14 <18 

41 3803.16 7031 27.02 100 14 **12 

41 3803.05 7031 26.73 125 <12 <18 

41 3802.93 7031 26.44 150 13 20 

41 3802.81 7031 26.15 175 <12 <18 

41 3802.69 7031 25.87 200 <12 <18 

41 3802.58 7031 25.58 225 <12 <18 

41 3802.46 7031 25.29 250 <12 <18 

41 38 02.34 7031 25.00 275 <12 **9 

41 3802.22 7031 24.71 300 <12 <18 

41 3802.11 7031 24.42 325 <12 <18 

41 3801 .99 7031 24.13 350 <12 26 

41 3801 .87 7031 23.84 375 <12 26 

41 3801 .87 7031 23.84 375 <12 **17 

41 3801 .75 7031 23.55 400 <12 **9 

41 3801 .64 7031 23.26 425 **7 <18 
-- --

-- --

-- --

Table 6. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in vapor-diffusion samples collected from pore water in pondbottom sediments near the Storm Drain-5 plume, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, August 1998-Continued 

Vapor-diffusion 

sampler No. 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-2 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-3 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-4 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-5 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-6 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-7 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-8 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-9 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-10 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-11 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-12 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-12-D 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-13 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-14 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-15 

SD-5/0898/WVD3-16* 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-2 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-3 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-3-D 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-4 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-5 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-6 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-7 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-8 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-8-D 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-9 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-10 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-11 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-12 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-13 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-14 

SD-5/0898/WVD4-15 

Latitude

.11 Longitude .11, 

Distance 

from shore 

(ft) 

ethene 

(TCE) 

(ppb v) 

ethane 

(PCE) 

(ppb v) 

41 3802.25 7031 28.75 75 **10 <18 

41 3802.13 7031 28.47 100 14 <18 

41 3802.01 7031 28.18 125 **9 <18 

41 3801 .90 7031 27.89 150 <12 <18 

41 3801 .78 70 31 27.60 175 277 16 

41 3801 .66 7031 27.31 200 120 36 

41 3801 .54 7031 27.02 225 109 24 

41 3801 .43 7031 26.73 250 680 96 

41 3801 .31 7031 26.44 275 890 36 

41 3801 .19 7031 26.15 300 347 215 

41 3801 .07 7031 25.86 325 166 78 

41 3801 .07 7031 25.86 325 160 72 

41 3800.96 7031 25.57 350 <12 <18 

41 3800.84 7031 25.28 375 **10 <18 

41 3800.72 7031 24.99 400 12 <18 

41 3800.60 7031 24.70 425 12 <18 

41 3800.93 7031 29.56 75 <12 <18 

41 3800.79 7031 29.28 100 <12 <18 

41 3800.79 7031 29.28 100 **10 <18 

41 3800.65 7031 29.01 125 <12 38 

41 3800.51 7031 28.74 150 

41 3800.38 7031 28.46 175 <12 134 

41 3800.24 7031 28.19 200 

41 3800.10 7031 27.92 225 250 34 

41 3800.10 7031 27.92 225 215 38 

41 3759.96 7031 27.65 250 

41 3759.82 7031 27.38 275 610 145 

41 3759.68 7031 27.10 300 748 78 

41 3759.55 7031 26.83 325 416 84 

41 3759.41 70 31 26.56 350 42 31 

41 37 59.27 7031 26.28 375 16 32 

41 3759.13 7031 26.01 400 15 <18 

Trichloro- Tetrachloro28 Delineation of Discharge Areas of Two Contaminant Plumes by Use of Diffusion Samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Mass., 1998 
-- --

Table 6. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in vapor-diffusion samples collected from pore water in pondbottom sediments near the Storm Drain-5 plume, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, August 1998-Continued 

Vapor-diffusion 

sampler No. 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-2 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-3 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-4 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-5 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-6 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-6-D 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-7 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-8 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-9 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-10 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-11 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-12 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-13 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-14 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-15 

SD-5/0898/WVD5-16 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-2* 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-3 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-4 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-5 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-6 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-7 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-8 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-9 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-9-D 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-10 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-11 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-12 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-13 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-14 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-15 

SD-5/0898/WVD6-16 

Trichloro- Tetrachloro- Distance 

.11 o '" 

(n) (TCE) 

(ppb v) 

(PCE) 

(ppb v) 

41 37 59.50 7031 29.66 75 

41 3759.39 7031 29.37 100 <12 29 

41 3759.28 7031 29.08 125 <12 19 

41 3759.16 7031 28.78 150 <12 **8 

41 3759.05 7031 28.49 175 <12 **12 

41 3759.05 7031 28.49 175 <12 **12 

41 3758.93 70 31 28.20 200 <12 <18 

41 3758.82 7031 27.91 225 <12 <18 

41 3758.71 7031 27.62 250 43 19 

41 3758.59 7031 27.33 275 256 59 

41 3758.48 7031 27.03 300 100 150 

41 3758.36 7031 26.74 325 25 46 

41 3758.25 7031 26.45 350 44 243 

41 3758.14 70 31 26.16 375 21 67 

41 3758.02 70 31 25 .87 400 <12 <18 

41 3757.91 7031 25 .57 425 <12 <18 

Latitude Longitude from shore ethene ethene 

41 37 58.05 7031 29.68 75 <12 <18 

41 3757.93 7031 29.39 100 <12 <18 

41 3757.81 7031 29.10 125 <12 <18 

41 3757.69 70 31 28.81 150 <12 <18 

41 3757.57 7031 28.52 175 <12 <18 

41 3757.45 70 31 28.24 200 <12 <18 

41 3757.33 7031 27.95 225 <12 <18 

41 3757.21 7031 27.66 250 <12 21 

41 3757.21 7031 27.66 250 <12 21 

41 3757.09 7031 27.37 275 82 123 

41 3756.97 7031 27.08 300 19 190 

41 37 56.86 70 31 26.80 325 202 112 

41 3756.74 70 31 26.51 350 <12 <18 

41 3756.62 7031 26.22 375 <12 <18 

41 3756.50 7031 25.93 400 <12 <18 

41 3756.38 7031 25.64 425 <12 <18 

Table 6 29 
-- --

-- --

-- --

Table 6. Results of analyses for volatile organic compounds in vapor-diffusion samples collected from pore water in pondbottom sediments near the Storm Drain-5 plume, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, August 1998-Continued 

Vapor-diffusion 

sampler No. 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-2 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-3 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-4 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-5 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-6 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-7 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-8 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-9 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-10 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-11 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-1 l -D 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-12 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-13 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-14 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-15 

SD-5/0898/WVD7-16 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-2* 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-3 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-4 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-5 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-6* 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-7 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-8 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-9 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-10 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-11 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-12 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-13 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-14 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-15 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-15-D 

SD-5/0898/WVD8-16 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-2 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-3 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-4 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-5 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-6 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-7 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-8 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-9 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-10 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-1 1 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-12 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-13 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-14 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-15 

SD-5/0898/WVD9-16 

Trichloro- TetrachloroDistance ethene Latitude 

o 

Longitude o l" from shore 

ethene 

(TCE) (PCE) 

(ppb v) (ppb v) 

41 3756.53 7031 29 .88 75 23,000 90 

41 3756.41 70 31 29 .60 100 43,000 <900 

41 3756.29 7031 29 .31 125 47,000 <900 

41 3756.16 7031 29 .03 150 24 <18 

41 3756.04 7031 28 .74 175 24 <18 

41 3755.92 7031 28 .45 200 <12 <18 

41 3755.80 7031 28 .17 225 <12 <18 

41 37 55 .67 70 31 27 .88 250 <12 <18 

41 3755.55 7031 27 .60 275 <12 <18 

41 3755.43 70 31 27 .31 300 166 167 

41 3755.43 7031 27 .31 300 166 193 

41 3755.31 70 31 27 .02 325 142 316 

41 3755.19 7031 26 .74 350 20 <18 

41 3755.06 7031 26 .45 375 

41 3754.94 7031 26 .17 400 

41 3754.82 7031 25 .88 425 

41 37 55 .10 70 31 30 .04 75 <12 <18 

41 37 54 .97 7031 29 .75 100 <12 <18 

41 3754.85 7031 29 .47 125 <12 <18 

41 3754.72 7031 29 .19 150 <12 <18 

41 3754.60 7031 28 .90 175 <12 <18 

41 3754.47 7031 28 .62 200 <12 <18 

41 3754.35 7031 28 .34 225 39 <18 

41 3754.22 7031 28 .05 250 16 <18 

41 3754.09 70 31 27 .77 275 <12 <18 

41 3753.97 7031 27 .48 300 <12 <18 

41 3753.84 7031 27 .20 325 <12 <18 

41 3753.72 7031 26 .92 350 12 <18 

41 3753.59 7031 26 .63 375 438 667 

41 3753.47 7031 26 .35 400 42 **10 

41 3753.47 7031 26 .35 400 50 **10 

41 3753.34 7031 26 .06 425 13 **10 

41 3753.46 7031 30 .31 75 <12 <18 

41 3753.34 70 31 30 .02 100 <12 <18 

41 3753.21 7031 29 .73 125 <12 <18 

41 3753.09 7031 29.44 150 <12 <18 

41 37S2.97 7031 29.16 175 <12 <18 

41 3752.85 70 31 28 .87 200 <12 <18 

41 3752.73 7031 28 .58 225 <12 <18 

41 3752.61 7031 28 .30 250 <12 <18 

41 3752.49 70 31 28 .01 275 <12 <18 

41 3752.37 7031 27 .72 300 <12 <18 

41 3752.25 7031 27 .43 325 <12 <18 

41 3752.13 7031 27.15 350 <12 <18 

41 3752.01 7031 26.86 375 <12 <18 

41 3751 .89 7031 26.57 400 <12 <18 

41 3751 .77 7031 26.28 425 <12 <18 

30 Delineation of Discharge Areas of TwoContaminant Plumes by Use of Diffusion Samplers, Johns Pond, Cape Cod, Mass., 1998 

*U.S . GOVER 74ENT PRINTING OFFICE : 2000-9-99005/00004