Hydrogeologic Investigation and Remediation A major chemical company with facilities in Michigan released chlorinated solvents into site soil and groundwater, resulting in a listing in Michigan's Sites of Environmental Contamination. Quantum was retained to perform a comprehensive evaluation of groundwater contamination and conduct remedial activities to restore the aquifer. The hydrogeologic investigation included defining the horizontal and vertical extent of contamination in two aquifers, estimating aquifer characteristics using slug and pump tests, and designing and implementing remedial action, the latter working under an approved Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Remedial Action Plan (RAP). Under the approved RAP, Quantum professionals installed over thirty monitoring wells and three groundwater recovery wells to extract and treat contaminated water. Treatment methods include air stripping, chemical oxidation, biological digestion, and carbon filtration. For additional information, please contact Jim Eluskie.	Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, Phase II Investigations Statewide Radio Communications Project Quantum worked with Motorola, Inc, and the State of Michigan conducting Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) required for securing parcels for the construction of radio towers associated equipment for the Michigan State Police Radio Communications Project. To date Quantum has performed 28 Phase I ESAs and seven follow-up Phase II Subsurface Investigations to identify impacts from known or potential comtamination. County Airport Expansion Quantum's most experienced staff have performed over 55 Phase I ESAs for eight county airport expansions in southern Michigan. These investigations meet or exceed the requirements of available guidance documents such as ASTM E 1527 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments. For more information on these and related projects, contact Ann Ottenhoff.
Baseline Environmental Assessments Provisions of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act 451 provide liablility protection for the owners or operators of contaminated property if, among other requirements, a Baseline Environmental Assessment (BEA) is performed. The BEA is an evaluation of environmental conditions at a facility at or before the time of purchase, occupancy, or foreclosure that reasonably defines the existing conditions and circumstances at the the facility so that new contaminant releases can be distinguished from existing contamination. Quantum conducted at Type S BEA at an automotive parts manufacturer in southeast Michigan. Heavy manufacturing operations, underground storage tank use and leaking electrical transformers all contributed to the contamination of the property with volatile and semi-volatile compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and heavy metals. Quantum thoroughly documented the presence of contamination in soil and groundwater over the entire site and used the information to identify past contamination in a BEA report to provide the client with liablility portection once ownership was transferred. For more information, contact John Bacon.	Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study A major manufacturer of industrial bearings retained Quantum to perform a full Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS). An initial ivestigtion revealed contamination in soil, surface water, river sediments, and groundwater at the faciity as a result of past releases of chlorinated solvents. The site was listed as a National Priority List site under federal Superfund guidelines. Quantum conducted an extensive soil boring and monitoring well installation program to characterize the extent of contamination in all media. Quantum also recorded real-time groundwater flow velocities using state-of-the-art temperature differential mapping. Computer modeling was used to design an effective remediation system that addressed soil, groundwater, and sediment contamination. Working with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Quantum constructed, installed, and operated remediation equipment at the site, resulting in the removal of more than 6,000 pounds of solvents. The client is currently awaiting a final regulatory action decision. For more information on this project, contact Keith Gadway
Process Engineering/Wastewater Treatment Quantum was retained to assist a Mexico City phenolic resin manufacturer in managing wastewater collection and treatment at its largest manufacturing facility. Quantum engineers developed flow measuring protocols, desgined sump and piping collection networks, and designed a 10,000 gpd treatment facility to reduce concentrations of phenols and formaldehyde in wastewater prior to discharge to a local river. Working with the Mexican government and plant technicians, Quantum directed the entire design, construction and testing process. Treatment consisted of a biofiltration system utilizing activated carbon as a growth medium. Fluidized bed reactors were used to treat wastewater to well below local and U.S. standards. For more information on this project, contact Norman Gadway.	Process Wastewater Treatment A major automotive parts manufacturer discovered a mile-long plume of volatile organic solvent and chromium contamination in the groundwater beneath its western Michigan facility as a result of corrosion in underground storage tanks. Quantum was retained to define the extent of the plume and design a remediation system to reduce contaminant levels on an accelerated basis. After installing monitoring wells to define the plume dimensions, Quantum scientists and engineers began designing a treatment system to remove chromium contamination. The chromium included both trivalent and hexavalent forms. The treatment system selected for the site included volatile organic adsorption and distillation to recover solvents and an ion exchange system to recover chromium from groundwater. Quantum designed, built, and operated the 100,000 gallon per day system which effectively eliminated the chromium threat to nearby Lake Michigan. For additional information, contact Mike Prochaska