Tarek Saba, Ph.D.

Dr. Saba has 12 years of experience providing consulting and expert support to oil and gas, industrial, and legal clients in matters involving chemical forensics, geochemistry, and hydrogeology. Dr. Saba’s experience includes reconstructing the history of releases of petroleum hydrocarbons (LNAPL), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), chlorinated solvents (PCE, TCE, and their degradation products), tar (DNAPL), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and furans (D/F), and metals, among other chemical groups.

Dr. Saba has provided consulting and expert support in cases involving petroleum refineries, natural gas storage fields, manufactured gas plants (MGPs), pulp and paper mills, and landfills, in addition to other industrial facilities. His scientific focus has been on the environmental contamination of groundwater, soils, and sediments. Dr. Saba has been involved in complex environmental liability and litigation matters, natural resource damage assessments (NRDAs), insurance remedial cost recovery claims, Superfund (CERCLA) liability, applicability of CERCLA’s petroleum exclusion to Superfund Sites, and natural gas migration cases. In addition, Dr. Saba’s expertise includes conducting detailed technical reviews of expert reports and assisting attorneys in preparation for depositions and trials.

Saba T, Boehm PD. Use of natural gas compositional tracers to investigate gas migration from a gas storage field. Environmental Geosciences 2012 Jun; 19(2):1–12.

Saba T, Orzechowski M. Lack of data to support a relationship between methane contamination of drinking water wells and hydraulic fracturing: A response to Osborn et al. Proceedings, National Academy of Science of the United States of America, 2011. www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1108435108.

Saba T, Boehm PD. Congener-based analysis of the weathering of PCB Aroclor 1242 in paper mill sludge. Chemosphere, 2011; 82(2011)1321–1328.

Saba T Boehm PD. Quantitative Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) congener and homologue profile comparisons. Environmental Forensics 2011; 12(2):134–142.

Saba T, Boehm PD. CERCLA’s petroleum exclusion and the use of chemical forensic methods. ABA Superfund and NRD Litigation Committee Newsletter 2011; 6(2).

Saba T, Mohsen F, Hilbert B, Garry M. White paper: Methanol use in hydraulic fracturing fluids. Submitted to the Methanol Institute, August 2011 (Version 2 issued January 2012).

Saenton S, Illangasekare TH, Soga K, Saba T. Effects of source zone heterogeneity on surfactant enhanced NAPL dissolution and resulting remediation end-points. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 2002; 59(1–2):27–44.

Saba T, Illangasekare TH, Ewing J. Effect of flow dimensionality on mass transfer rate coefficient estimations under enhanced conditions. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 2001; 51(1–2):63–82.

Saba T, Illangasekare TH. Effect of groundwater flow dimensionality on mass transfer from entrapped nonaqueous phase liquid contaminants. Water Resources Research 2000; 36(4):971–979

Conference Proceedings and Presentations

Saba T, Mohsen, F. Hydrofracking: Separating the realities from the myths. The American Bar Association 41st Annual Conference on Environmental Law, Salt Lake City, UT. March 22–24, 2012. http://www.americanbar.org/calendar/2012/03/41st_annual_conferenceonenvironmentallaw.html

Garry M, Saba T, Mohsen F, Hilbert L. Health assessment of methanol used in hydraulic fracturing fluids. The 51st Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology, San Francisco, CA, March 11–15, 2012.

Saba T, Su S. Tracking sources of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) to Newark Bay sediments using principal component analysis (PCA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF). SETAC North America 32nd Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, November 13–17, 2011.

Saba T, Hall K, WC Kimbrill. Hydraulic fracturing—The next wave of groundwater toxic tort litigation. Presented as part of the DRI’s Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Committee CLE credit program, July 7, 2011.

Saba T, Boehm PD. Quantitative PCB Congener and homologue profile comparisons. Presented at the 6th International Conference on Remediation of Contaminated Sediments. New Orleans, LA, February 7–11, 2011.

Menzie C, Kierski M, Saba T, Meyer S, Kovatch E, Kahler J, Fox R, Kern J. Multisite ambient investigation for MGPs on the Chicago River. Presented at the 6th International Conference on Remediation of Contaminated Sediments, New Orleans, LA, February 7–11, 2011.

Saba T, Boehm PD. Congener-based analysis of the weathering of PCBs in paper mill sludge. Presented at the 2010 Dioxin Conference, San Antonio, TX, 2010.

Saba T, Boehm PD. Historical reconstruction of contamination using environmental forensic methods. Boston Bar Association Seminar, Boston, MA, February 11, 2010.

Boehm P, Brown J, Saba T, O’Reilly, K. The three-part approach to PAH source identification and apportionment in sediments as applied to petroleum, coal tars, and combustion sources. SETAC North America 30th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, November, 19–23, 2009.

Saba T. Environmental weathering of PCBs in sediments. The 26th Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, and Water, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, MA, October 18–21, 2009.

Boehm P, Shields W, Fairbrother A, Saba T. Determination of the chemical background for sediment—Approaches and conundrums. SMWG meeting in Saratoga Springs, NY, September 29, 2009.

Boehm P, Saba T. Using chemical forensics and other lines of evidence to distinguish PAH contributions from different pyrogenic sources to the sediments of the Hylebos Waterway Superfund Site—A CERCLA and MTCA cost recovery case. SMWG Spring Sponsor Forum, Kalamazoo, MI, April 29–30, 2008.

Boehm P, Saba T, Benton L. Identification of natural gas sources using geochemical forensic tools. The 23ed Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, and Water, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, October 15–18, 2007.

Butler E, Saba T. Use of PCB congener and homolog analysis in source apportionment at a rail yard Superfund site. The Annual International Conference on Soils, Sediments, and Water, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, October 16–19, 2006.

Biemer T, Brown M, Butler E, Saba T. Better litigation through chemistry. Presentation to the Boston Bar Association, October 6, 2005.

Saxe JK, Saba T, Wannamaker EJ. Do arsenic-containing products influence arsenic concentrations in subsurface drinking water supplies? Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 24th Annual Meeting, Austin, TX, November 9–13, 2003.

Sharma M, Saba T, Bittner A. Optimization of groundwater pump and treat systems using numerical modeling and the Monte Carlo approach. 2003 NGWA Midsouth Focus Conference, Philadelphia, PA, 2003.

Sharma M, Saba T, Bittner A. Optimization of groundwater pump and treat systems using numerical modeling and the Monte Carlo Approach. Presented at the National Ground Water Association Mid-South Focus Conference, Nashville, TN, September 19, 2003.

Illangasekare TH, Saenton S, Saba T, Wilson CS. Up-scaling of NAPL dissolution from entrapped sources: Implications on end-points for risk assessment. Proceedings, Contaminated Site Remediation Conference, Melbourne, Australia, December 4–-8, 2000.

Illangasekare TH, Cort T, Saba T, Barranco F, Dai D. Pilot-scale laboratory evaluation of subsurface restoration technologies for a diesel contaminated site. Summit of the Geological Society of America, Reno, NV, 2000.

Illangasekare TH, Saba T. Upscaling of contaminant transport in heterogeneous aquifers: Dissolution of entrapped separate phase organic chemicals. Proceedings, Engineering Jubilee Congress, Engineering of Peradeniya 2000; (2):127–132.

Illangasekare TH, Saba T. Intermediate scale physical model testing to investigate upscaling of dissolution of non-aqueous phase liquids in aquifers. Proceedings, Physical Modeling and Testing Environmental Geotechnics, Network of European Centrifuges for Environmental Geotechnic Research (NECER). Garnier J, Thorel E, and Haze E (eds), pp. 285–292, La Baule, France, May 15–17, 2000.

Saba T, Illangasekare TH. Surfactant-enhanced dissolution of non-aqueous phase waste chemicals: Effect of flow dimensionality. Conference of Hazardous Waste Research, St. Louis, MO, April 1999.

Saba T, Illangasekare TH. Effects of aquifer heterogeneity and groundwater flow dimensionality on upscaling of natural and surfactant enhanced dissolution of non-aqueous phase liquid waste chemicals. Conference on Hazardous Water Research, Snowbird, UT, 1998.

Saba T, Illangasekare TH. Effect of aqueous phase flow dimensionality on surfactant enhanced dissolution from entrapped non-aqueous phase liquid contaminants at the spill-site scale. American Geophysical Union, San Francisco, CA, December 6, 1998.

Illangasekare TH, Saba T. Upscaling of mass transfer from zones with entrapped nonaqueous phase chemicals. American Geophysical Union, San Francisco, CA, December 6, 1998.

Vestal EW, Illangasekare TH, Ramaswami A, Bielefeldt A, Riffel AM, Saba T. Modeling of net interphase mass exchange in NAPL-water systems undergoing biodegradation at the spill-site scale. American Geophysical Union, San Francisco, CA, December 6, 1998.

Saba T, Illangasekare TH. Natural dissolution of organic chemicals entrapped in a two-dimensional groundwater systems. AGU 18th Annual Hydrology Days, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 1998.

Dr. Saba has been involved in complex environmental liability and litigation matters, NRDA, insurance remedial cost recovery claims, Superfund (CERCLA) liability, petroleum exclusion, and natural gas migration cases.

Selected Current and Recent Cases

• Hydraulic fracturing (Northeast). Testifying expert on issues related to alleged groundwater contamination.
• Hydraulic fracturing (Methanol Institute). Expert on issues related to hydraulic fracturing fluids.
• Industrial Waterway (Washington). Testifying expert on contaminant source determination.
• Superfund site (Oklahoma). Testifying expert for defense on Superfund site regarding applicability of petroleum exclusion to site issues.
• Former refinery site (Oklahoma). Expert on contamination apportionment at historical petroleum refinery.
• Major waterway (Houston, Texas). Expert on PCBs, PAHs, and metals.
• Major waterway (New York). Consulting expert on multiple contaminants.
• Kalamazoo River Superfund Site (Michigan). Expert on PCB evaluation.
• Bayway and Bayonne Refineries (New Jersey). Project manager on historical reconstruction of contamination in soils and groundwater.
• Major bay (East Coast). Expert on chemical fingerprinting to determine sources to the bay.
• Rhode Island residential area. Expert on alleged MGP disposal matters and standard of care.
• Hylebos Waterway Superfund Site (Tacoma, Washington). Project manager on PAH forensics and allocation of contamination.
• Natural Gas Storage Field Geochemical Fingerprinting (Cunningham Field, Kansas). Project manager and expert on geochemical fingerprinting of natural gas.
• Superfund site (Massachusetts). Expert on divisibility of mercury contamination and remediation costs.
• Natural gas migration (Tioga Field, Pennsylvania). Expert to determine sources of natural gas in drinking-water wells.
• Natural gas (Elk Basin, Wyoming). Expert on natural gas geochemistry to evaluate migration.
• Chlorinated solvents (Springfield, Illinois). Expert on chemical fingerprinting and fate and transport of chlorinated solvents (PCE, TCE and their degradation products) at an industrial site.
• Manufactured Gas Plants (Massachusetts and New York). Project manager evaluating activities that resulted in MGP contamination as part of insurance claim cases.

Representative Projects

Petroleum Chemistry and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

For a confidential client in the Midwest, serving as a chemical forensics expert to determine the sources of contamination at a former refinery Site, and the applicability of the “petroleum exclusion” under CERCLA.

For a confidential oil company, served as a project manager to identify the sources of PAHs and metals at petroleum refineries as part of a defense against an NRDA claim. Identified refinery areas affected by background, offsite sources, and other historical activities unrelated to the refinery operations.

For a refinery owner in Texas, conducted chemical fingerprinting analysis to age-date a petroleum plume beneath the refinery site to determine the responsible party among the different successive owners.
For a confidential energy company, served as a chemical fingerprinting expert to determine sources of contaminants (petroleum, tar, metals, PCBs) to an industrial waterway in New York.

For a client in the northwestern U.S., evaluated the sources of petroleum hydrocarbons and PAHs downgradient from a petroleum terminal and other industrial activities.

For a client in the midwestern U.S., allocated the liability of petroleum contamination between successive petroleum refinery owners.

For a client in the northwestern U.S., evaluated PAH sources to the sediments of a major waterway as part of a dredging cost allocation case. Determined the relative importance of candidate sources (primarily creosoted pilings, aluminum smelter sludge, and urban runoff) through chemical fingerprinting, sediment age dating, and PAH concentration gradients.

For residential owners in Rhode Island, reviewed expert reports on the sources of PAH contamination in the residents’ yards. Identified deficiencies in the opposing experts’ analytical methods to distinguish between PAHs from a nearby former MGP and natural background.

At a steel manufacturing site, evaluated the connection between sediment PAH contamination and surface-water sheens using chemical fingerprinting techniques. Found that sediment PAHs resulted in the sheens observed on the surface water and that impacts to both media were not related to the steel manufacturer’s activities.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

For a confidential client on the west coast, investigated historical and current PCB sources to a major waterway. Designed and oversaw a field sampling program to collect source samples and sediment samples from the waterway. Conducted fingerprinting analysis on the congener and homologue data, and identified the source of contamination with high degree of certainty. Case settled.

For a confidential client in the Midwest, provided expert report on the historical uses of PCB-containing hydraulic fluids in the die casting industry.

For Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA), identified PCB sources and approximate spill timing at the former Paoli rail yard Superfund site in support of a $60 million remedial cost allocation case. Work included historical review of PCB purchase records and handling practices, and chemical forensic analysis to identify PCB Aroclor and congener patterns. Co-authored expert report of findings.

For a confidential client on the East Coast, analyzed homologue and congener patterns to identify PCB sources to the sediments of a major bay. Identified congeners associated with specific sources. Analysis included conducting PCA analysis, analysis of PCB profiles in sediment cores. Work is part of a remedial investigation report for the bay.

For a confidential client in the Midwest, conducted fingerprinting analysis to identify sources of PCB contamination to river sediments and banks abutting client's property. Directed the collection and laboratory congener analysis of sediment samples.

For an industrial client in the Midwest, reviewed and critiqued calculations of PCB contribution from a former paper mill to a river.

For a confidential client in Georgia, evaluated the feasibility of proposed remedial alternative at a PCB and VOC contaminated landfill. Recommendations included modifications to the proposed design to optimize the remediation process.

Manufactured Gas Plants (MGPs)

For multiple energy companies in northeastern and northwestern U.S., linked historical MGP operations and practices to present day contaminant distribution at over 20 former plants. Used forensic analysis to identify approximate time frame of historical leaks and spills. Analyzed tar, oil, and NAPL entrapment and migration patterns to identify contamination sources. Co-authored several expert reports as part of insurance remedial cost recovery cases.

Dioxins/Furans

For a confidential client in Louisiana, evaluated dioxin and furan fingerprint patterns in a bayou sediment to determine responsible parties. Combined dioxin/furan data with sediment age dating information, and determined with a high degree of certainty the likely source of contamination.

For a major manufacturer, assisted client in developing technical defense in response to plaintiff’s claims relating to PCB and dioxin contamination at an electrical transformer manufacturing site in the southeastern U.S. Work included documentation of PCB handling, and chemical fingerprinting analysis.

For a confidential client in Mississippi, evaluated dioxin and furan fingerprint patterns in dust and soil samples collected from residential areas around a transformer service facility to determine whether the dioxin/furans originated from the facility or from background sources.

Chlorinated Solvents

Evaluated sources of tetrachloroethene (PCE) at a former petroleum hydrocarbon distribution facility in the Western U.S. Used different evaporation models to estimate the approximate start date of PCE release(s) to the surface soil.

For a confidential client in Illinois, conducted fingerprinting and fate and transport analysis to age date multiple chlorinated solvent plumes. Used multiple lines of evidence including groundwater travel times, daughter/parent compound ratios, and historical construction of contamination to determine the age of the different plumes. Presented findings to the Illinois EPA.

Reviewed cost recovery documents for municipal water treatment due to alleged contamination from dry cleaning activities. Found $350,000 in overestimated treatment costs.

For a confidential client in MA, identified a client's share of chlorinated solvents plume impacting residential areas downgradient from several chlorinated solvent PRPs. Used multiple lines of evidence including PCE degradation pathways and groundwater modeling.

For a dry cleaner in Canada, evaluated carbon isotope data for trichloroethene (TCE) in groundwater to identify different sources of chlorinated solvents contamination downgradient from the dry cleaner.

For a superfund site in New Hampshire, optimized injection and extraction well locations and flow rates for faster PCE recovery in a pump and treat system. Optimized system reduced total remediation time by 25%. Computer modeling work involved modifying MODFLOW and MT3D to fit the superfund site-specific characteristics, and linking the modified versions to a USGS optimization code. Reduced projected plume recovery time by 25%.

Natural Gas and Hydraulic Fracturing

For the Methanol Institute, investigated the use of methanol in hydraulic fracturing fluids. Issued a white paper (published at (http://www.methanol.org/Environment/Resources/Environment/Methanol-Fracking-Fluid-White-Paper-Aug-2011.aspx)

For multiple gas companies, designed and implemented forensic field programs to differentiate native gas from storage gas using composition and isotope analysis. Co-authored reports to State's Conservation Commission. Presented findings to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

For a confidential gas company, investigated sources of natural gas bubbling in residential water wells. Used chemical fingerprinting including gas composition and isotope analysis to determine the origin of the gas in the water wells. Co-authored expert report to the State’s Department of Environmental Protection.

For a confidential gas company, investigated groundwater chemistry as part of a hydraulic fracturing litigation case.

For a gas company in New York, investigated storage gas migration from a storage field and calculated the percent of storage gas and native gas in a set of gas wells located near the leaking field. The work was conducted as part of settlement negotiations between the owners of the storage field and the gas well owners.

For a developer in the southern U.S, designed and directed a field investigation to determine sources of methane in soil underneath newly constructed houses.

Metals

At a contaminated waterway in Louisiana, linked creek sediment metal contamination to multiple responsible parties in support of remedial cost allocation. Data evaluation included identification of marker metals and combination of metals used by different industries located on the creek.

For a confidential arsenical pesticide manufacturer, evaluated the fate and transport of the different arsenic species in soils and groundwater at Florida Sites. Authored reports to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

For a confidential client in the northeast, evaluated fate and transport of mercury in soil and groundwater in support of a several million dollars remedial cost allocation case at a Superfund Site.

For a major paint manufacturer, used statistical methods (variogram analysis) to show the sufficiency of a soil-sampling program in characterizing a lead contaminated site.

Hydrogeology/Fate and Transport

For a confidential client in Argentina, designed and modeled a hydraulic barrier system to mitigate off-site contamination transport. Responsibilities included groundwater and solute transport modeling.

For a consulting company in Houston, Texas, developed a proprietary model for NAPL dissolution as part of a Department of Defense contract to develop a decision support system to evaluate effectiveness and cost of source zone treatment.

For the USEPA, served as technical reviewer for BIOCHLOR and provided technical assistance of select EPA groundwater models offered over the Internet.

For the Hazardous Substance Research Center, created a numerical code to simulate NAPL entrapment and dissolution in groundwater