Soil Contamination Assessment from jet fuel spillage and from past activities in the vicinity of the electromechanical services site at Larnaca International Airport of Cyprus. HERMES AIRPORTS Ltd, Cyprus.

Soil Contamination Assessment from jet fuel spillage and from past activities in the vicinity of the electromechanical services site at Larnaca International Airport of Cyprus

The overall aim of the project was to determine the extent, nature and significance of any soil and groundwater contamination associated with past and present operations of the Electromechanical Services Workshop area, in order to investigate if further specialised investigations were needed and to propose suitable mitigation measures.

Client: HERMES AIRPORTS Ltd Cyprus

Region: Cyprus

Type: Waste & Pollution Management

Duration: 08/2007 – 01/2008

Other Partners: –

The overall aim of the project was the field investigation and assessment of land contamination in the vicinity of the Electromechanical Services (EMS) Workshop site at the Larnaca International Airport.

The main objectives were to determine the extent, nature and significance of any soil and groundwater contamination associated with past and present operations of the EMS Workshop, in order to investigate if further specialised investigations were needed and to propose suitable mitigation measures.

The tasks that were successfully completed and the services that were provided were:

• Appraisal of the current situation at the EMS Workshop and identification of past activities through interviews, previous studies and available data.
• Examination and detailed assessment, through field work, of the hydrogeologic and lithology characteristics encountered in the auger holes of the area with its relevance to the infiltration extent from the surface.
• Collection of soil samples from various depths in strategically selected shallow auger holes and subsequent laboratory analysis.
• Collection of groundwater struck within the auger holes and subsequent laboratory analysis
• Assessment of the extent of land contamination based on the auger-hole logs and the analytical results of the soil and groundwater samples. Identification of the levels of contaminants and assessment of the special distribution and volume of contaminated soils.
• Recommendations for the course of action for further monitoring and further specialised investigations

The results of the project showed no significant soil contamination of the EMS Workshop area, except for the Total Hydrocarbons which render the area only suitable for Commercial – Industrial uses. No intervention for soil clean-up was justified on the basis of the contamination levels encountered. However, appropriate maintenance measures needed to be set up for the operation of the EMS Workshop, in order to avoid further spills and leakage of lubricants from the operations