High-Resolution Site Characterization (HRSC) for Pollution Investigation of Petrochemical Enterprises: Integrated Technology Application and Validation

High-Resolution Site Characterization (HRSC) offers a promising approach to delineate spatially heterogeneous contamination in complex petrochemical sites, overcoming limitations of conventional discrete sampling. This study implemented an integrated HRSC framework combining surface soil microbial metabolic gas/functional gene detection, geophysical surveys (time-domain electromagnetics and ground-penetrating radar), and Membrane Interface Probe (MIP) sensing at a petrochemical facility in southern China. Results identified composite contamination (aromatic hydrocarbons, short-chain petroleum hydrocarbons, alkanes) primarily concentrated at 5–9 m depth, with a heavily contaminated zone of 1163 m2 and a total influence area of 17,724 m2. The contamination plume showed high spatial correlation with an underground wastewater storage pond, confirmed as the primary leakage source. Post-remediation monitoring indicated restoration of natural groundwater flow and reduced contaminant concentrations. Compared to traditional drilling, the HRSC approach improved resolution from meter to centimeter scale, reduced investigation time by 75%, and lowered overall costs by >30% through targeted sampling and real-time data acquisition. This study validates HRSC as an efficient, accurate, and cost-effective strategy for contamination delineation and source identification in operational industrial sites, supporting precise remediation and site redevelopment.