October 6 - 7, 2026, 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. CDT (2 Days)
Central Time Zone
(7 A.M. to 4 P.M. Mountain or 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. Eastern) Live Interactive Online Training
Course Reviews (4.8/5):
Overview: This course provides a practical overview of contaminant behavior in soil and groundwater with an emphasis on petroleum, chlorinated solvents, and metals. The material is intended for consultants and regulators managing contaminated sites. Course content is constantly updated, and includes new research and approaches for characterizing contaminant distribution and hydrogeology in the subsurface.
This course is preceded by the Chemistry Refresher for Environmental Professionals, September 24, 2026, which is recommended for anyone who has not had a chemistry refresher training in the last 5 years and those seeking a review of environmental chemistry.
Potential Fates of Contaminants
Advective Transport
Mechanical Dispersion
Chemical Dispersion
3- and 4-Phase Equilibrium Partitioning
3- and 4-Phase Mass Distribution
Applications of Kd, Koc, foc, Kow, and KH
NAPL and the One Percent Rule
Metal Sorption and pH
Desorption Rates
Subsurface Transport
Soil Properties
Contaminant Infiltration
Hydrogeology Overview
Three Point Problem
Retardation Factors
Contaminant Velocity
Diving Plumes
Nonaqueous Phase Liquid (NAPL) Transport
Saturation and Recoverability
Specific Retention (Sr)
Concentration of Saturation (Csat)
DNAPL Transport and Mass Distribution
14-Compartment Model
Vapor Transport
Contaminant Vapor Transport Processes
Petroleum Vapor Attenuation
Chlorinated Vapor Attenuation
Preferential Pathways
Natural Attenuation Processes
Lines of Evidence
Decay Rates
Degradation Rate Tools
Estimating Restoration Time Frame
Focus on Hydrocarbon Contamination
Gasoline and Diesel Chemistry
Properties of BTEX, Oxygenates, and Additives
Soil Retention
Ethanol Cosolvation and Plume Elongation
Plume Behavior and Redox Zones
Focus on Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Contamination
Chlorinated Solvent Chemistry and Sources
Plume Behavior Classification
Degradation Pathways
Focus on Metal Contaminants
Complexation and Speciation
Methylation and Demethylation
Redox and Microbial Effects
Cation/Anion Exchange
Sorption to Iron Oxides
Variably Charged Soils
Sulfide Precipitation
Dissolved Solids vs. Metal Mobility
Facilitated Transport
Metal Fixation and Aging
Scenarios Approach to Metal Attenuation
Intended Audience: Environmental engineers, geologists, hydrogeologist, agency staff, and other environmental professionals seeking an improved understanding of petroleum, chlorinated solvent, and metal behavior in soil and groundwater. This course is ideal for seasoned professionals, as well as, new hires who would benefit from a "crash course" in modern contaminant transport and fate.
Learning Objectives and Approaches: Course participants will gain a fundamental understanding of the behavior of contaminants in soil and groundwater, how to improve interpretation of site characterization data, and how to predict contaminant behavior in soil and groundwater. Key concepts will be emphasized through a combination of lecture, interactive exercises, and quizzes. Those seeking course credit must fully participate in the course and will be required to complete a written test to ensure they have gained an adequate understanding of topics covered.
Education Level: Intermediate and advanced topics will be covered. A review of transport and fate principles will also be presented to ensure all levels benefit from attending.
Course Materials: 2026 updated course proceedings and resources (246 color pages - PDF).
Credit: 15 PDHs or 1.5 CEUs for completing 15 hours of instruction.
Registration: $395, $295 per person for 2 to 9 people, $250 per person for 10 or more people on the same registration. Each registrant will receive their own link to join the training and may participate from any location with internet access. You may register online or by calling us at (800) 385-0783.
Location: Anywhere you can get comfortable and online.
About the Instructor: Erick McWayne has over thirty years of professional experience in environmental quality management and teaching related courses. As a consultant, he managed contaminated surface water, soil, and groundwater projects for the Department of Defense and other clients. He currently provides consulting support to environmental projects and teaches courses in chemistry, site characterization, transport and fate, geochemistry, hydrogeology, remediation, and water quality management with the University of California Davis and the National Environmental Management Academy (NEMA). He has taught hundreds of environmental science and technology courses to thousands of students.
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