Anaerobic biotransformation removes the most TCE from the plume, destroying 230 kilograms per year, and accounts for approximately 70 percent of the total mass of TCE removed from the plume annually by all natural attenuation processes. Advective transport and advection-driven volatilization each remove 50 kilograms per year.
Desorption is the most significant TCE input process evaluated.
A mass-balance analysis shows that the removal of TCE from the plume by natural attenuation processes is of the same order of magnitude as the input of TCE to the plume.