AWWA JAW70099

Although permeation and sorption of organic solvents in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe materials have been studied, no research has sufficiently documented pipe susceptibility to permeation in the contaminated subsurface environment. This study investigated the permeation of organic contaminants through PVC pipe via the vapor and aqueous phases. The authors used pipe-bottle tests, gravimetric sorption tests, and microscopic visualization tests to study the permeation of benzene, toluene, and trichloroethylene through 1-in. PVC pipe from vapor and aqueous phases. Test results show that PVC pipe materials are an effective barrier against the permeation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes in either gasoline-saturated vapors or gasoline-saturated groundwater at typical contaminated sites. These findings provide a basis for predicting the threshold contamination level at which PVC pipes would be susceptible to permeation if exposed to the vapors or aqueous solutions of organic compounds. Utilities and regulators can use this information to make decisions about replacing their PVC pipes in contaminated areas. Includes 15 references, figures.