An analytical solution for two-dimensional contaminant transport during groundwater extraction

We obtain an analytical solution for two-dimensional steady-state transport of conservative contaminant between injecting and pumping wells. Flow and transport are considered in the vertical cross-section. The Dupuit approximation and conformal mapping onto the complex potential domain are employed to determine the velocity and concentration distributions, respectively. We use this solution to derive a priori conditions under which widely used 1-D analytical solutions with constant velocity and dispersion coefficients provide accurate approximations. These conditions are formulated in terms of aquifer parameters, such as hydraulic conductivity, porosity and dispersivities, and remediation strategy, e.g., well spacing and pumping regimes.     

Coupled effects of solution chemistry and hydrodynamics on the mobility and transport of quantum dot nanomaterials in the vadose zone

To investigate the coupled effects of solution chemistry and hydrodynamics on the mobility of quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles in the vadose zone, laboratory scale transport experiments involving single and/or sequential infiltrations of QDs in unsaturated and saturated porous media, and computations of total interaction and capillary potential energies were performed. As ionic strength increased, QD retention in the unsaturated porous media increased; however, this retention was significantly suppressed in the presence of a non-ionic surfactant in the infiltration suspensions as indicated by surfactant enhanced transport of QDs. In the vadose zone, the non-ionic surfactant limited the formation of QD aggregates, enhanced QD mobility and transport, and lowered the solution surface tension, which resulted in a decrease in capillary forces that not only led to a reduction in the removal of QDs, but also impacted the vadose zone flow processes. When chemical transport conditions were favorable (ionic strength of 5 × 10(-4)M and 5 × 10(-3)M, or ionic strengths of 5 × 10(-2)M and 0.5M with surfactant), the dominating phenomena controlling the mobility and transport of QDs in the vadose zone were meso-scale processes, where infiltration by preferential flow results in the rapid transport of QDs. When chemical transport conditions were unfavorable (ionic strength of 5 × 10(-2)M and 0.5M) the dominating phenomena controlling the mobility and transport of QDs in the vadose zone were pore-scale processes governed by gas-water interfaces (GWI) that impact the mobility of QDs. The addition of surfactant enhanced the transport of QDs both in favorable and unfavorable chemical transport conditions. The mobility and retention of QDs was controlled by interaction and capillary forces, with the latter being the most influential. GWI were found to be the dominant mechanism and site for QD removal compared with solid-water interfaces (SWI) and pore straining. Additionally, ripening phenomena were demonstrated to enhance QDs removal or retention in porous media and to be attenuated by the presence of surfactant.     

Estimation of primary drainage three-phase relative permeability for organic liquid transport in the vadose zone

The modeling of transport of organic liquid contaminants through the vadose zone often requires three-phase relative permeabilities. Since these are difficult to measure, predictive models are usually used. The objective of this study is to assess the ability of eight common models to predict the drainage relative permeability to oil in a three-phase system (water-oil-air). A comparison of the models' estimates using data set from Oak [Oak, M.J., 1990. Three-phase relative permeability of water-wet Berea. In: Seventh Symposium on Enhanced Oil Recovery, Paper SPE/Doe 20183. Tulsa, OK, April 22-25] showed that they provide very different predictions for the same system. The goodness of the models does not increase with the amount of data or computation that the models require. Also, the calculations showed how different interpretations of the models and of the terminology associated with them can significantly impact the predictions. Thus, considerable error may be introduced into the simulations of organic liquid transport in the vadose zone depending on the selection and interpretation of the three-phase relative permeability model.     

Accelerated transport of (90)Sr following a release of high ionic strength solution in vadose zone sediments

Numerical simulation of cation exchange and mineral precipitation/dissolution reactions using the multiphase reactive geochemical transport code TOUGHREACT has provided important insight into the distribution of (90)Sr among layers of geologic strata in a complex vadose zone at the U. S. Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory. During a transfer operation in November 1972, 70.4 m(3) of acidic, high ionic strength liquid containing 15,900 Ci of (90)Sr was released over five days into alluvial gravels 137 m above the Snake River Plain Aquifer. Sampling data from perched water zones 33 m below the release contain very high levels of (90)Sr as do soil samples obtained nearer the point of release. Use of traditional simulation approaches using laboratory-measured constant partitioning coefficients (K(d)) cannot simultaneously explain perched water and soil concentrations. To address the discrepancy, a reactive transport approach was adopted to include competitive cation exchange, dissolution/precipitation of calcite, carbon dioxide gas production and transport, and gibbsite precipitation. Simulation results using this model suggest that some of the (90)Sr could have been transported very rapidly immediately after the release with the acceleration facilitated by competition for cation exchange sites with high sodium concentrations in the released liquid and calcium dissolved from calcite, and to a lesser extent by formation of aqueous complexes with nitrate. Once the leading edge of the liquid assemblage was flushed from the alluvium, the mobility of the remaining (90)Sr decreased significantly in the absence of the competing cations. Calculations indicate that there should be a net increase in calcite, suggesting that (90)Sr could be entrained in the mineral lattice, but insufficient field data exist for confirmation. Sensitivity studies show that the cation exchange selectivity coefficients were the most sensitive individual parameters determining the (90)Sr distribution. However, the most sensitive overall quantity was the total ion exchange capacity which is a function of the moles of exchange sites per volume of pore water, the cation exchange capacity, and the total volume wetted by the infiltrating solution. In contrast, the future mobility of (90)Sr was found to be relatively insensitive to the normal range in the composition of influxing precipitation and anthropogenic waters.     

Assessing tungsten transport in the vadose zone: from dissolution studies to soil columns

This study investigates the dissolution, sorption, leachability, and plant uptake of tungsten and alloying metals from canister round munitions in the presence of model, well characterized soils. The source of tungsten was canister round munitions, composed mainly of tungsten (95%) with iron and nickel making up the remaining fraction. Three soils were chosen for the lysimeter studies while four model soils were selected for the adsorption studies. Lysimeter soils were representatives of the typical range of soils across the continental USA; muck-peat, clay-loamy and sandy-quartzose soil. Adsorption equilibrium data on the four model soils were modeled with Langmuir and linear isotherms and the model parameters were obtained. The adsorption affinity of soils for tungsten follows the order: Pahokee peat > kaolinite > montmorillonite > illite. A canister round munition dissolution study was also performed. After 24 d, the measured dissolved concentrations were: 61.97, 3.56, 15.83 mg L⁻¹ for tungsten, iron and nickel, respectively. Lysimeter transport studies show muck peat and sandy quartzose soils having higher tungsten concentration, up to 150 mg kg⁻¹ in the upper layers of the lysimeters and a sharp decline with depth suggesting strong retardation processes along the soil profile. The concentrations of tungsten, iron and nickel in soil lysimeter effluents were very low in terms of posing any environmental concern; although no regulatory limits have been established for tungsten in natural waters. The substantial uptake of tungsten and nickel by ryegrass after 120 d of exposure to soils containing canister round munition suggests the possibility of tungsten and nickel entering the food chain.     

Effects of soil moisture and physical-chemical properties of organic pollutants on vapor-phase transport in the vadose zone

Vapor-phase transport of organic pollutants is one of the important pathways in the distribution and attenuation of volatile organic compounds in the vadose zone. In this study, the impact of vapor-phase partitioning and of the physical-chemical properties of organic pollutants on vapor-phase transport was assessed. An experimentally derived relationship to predict vapor sorption for a variety of soil types under varying soil moisture conditions was incorporated into the two-dimensional finite-element model, Vocwaste. The revised model was then used to simulate the transport of volatile organics. Vapor-phase partitioning in the model accounted for vapor uptake by sorption onto moist mineral surfaces as well as sorption at the liquid-solid interface and dissolution into soil water. Under dry conditions, vapor-phase sorption of volatile organic pollutants was shown to have a retarding effect on transport of organic vapors. However, for shallow, contaminated soils, volatilization was controlled by vapor diffusion, even under dry conditions where vapor-phase sorption was high. The influence of Henry's law constant and of the aqueous-phase (solid-liquid) partition coefficient for volatile organic pollutants was considered in the simulations. Volatilization of organic vapors was shown to be favored for contaminants with high Henry's law constants and low aqueous-phase partitioning coefficients. Because of the interdependence of these two physical-chemical properties, individual properties of the contaminant should not be considered in isolation in the evaluation of vapor transport.     

包气带土壤对石油烃的截留作用研究

包气带土壤对地表污染物的截留作用是地下水免受污染的一道天然屏障.土壤截留污染物的能力对地下水石油烃污染的治理起着关键作用,在对实际污染场地进行调查研究的基础上,采用土柱淋滤、吸附/解吸、石油挥发等室内模拟实验,研究包气带土壤对石油烃的截留作用及其影响因素.结果表明,细砂、中砂和粗砂3种土壤对石油烃的截留率分别为81.0...     

Investigation of the vadose zone using barometric pressure cycles

This paper documents a technique for investigating one-dimensional airflow in the vadose zone. Variations in pore gas pressures resulting from barometric cycles were measured at depths as great as 180 m in several gas monitoring wells. The data were transformed to the frequency domain, enabling comparison with closed-form analytic expressions of one-dimensional pressure transport in layered porous media. The data reveal evidence for vertical fracture flow that was not apparent from in situ measurements of permeability. The data also reveal that the basalt underlying the site at depths greater than 100 m has permeability exceeding 1000 darcies, and is vented to the atmosphere at an estimated distance of a few kilometers from the site.     

Heat and mass transfer in the vadose zone with plant roots

The vadose zone is the intermediate medium between the atmosphere and groundwater. The modeling of the processes taking place in the vadose zone needs different approaches to those needed for groundwater transport problems because of the marked changes in environmental conditions affecting the vadose zone. A mathematical model to simulate the water flow, and the fate and transport of recalcitrant contaminants was developed, which could be applied to various bioremediation methods such as phytoremediation and natural attenuation in the vadose zone. Two-phase flow equations and heat flux models were used to develop the model. Surface energy, balance equations were used to estimate soil surface temperature, and root growth and root distribution models were incorporated to represent the special contribution of plant mots in the vegetated soils. Interactions between the roots and environmental conditions such as temperature and water content were treated by incorporating a feedback mechanism that made allowance for the effects of water and temperature stresses on root distribution and water uptake by roots. In conducting the modeling study, Johnson grass and unplanted soil were simulated to compare the effect of root water uptake on soil water content. After the numerical experiments were conducted to investigate model behavior, the proposed model was applied to estimate actual water flow and heat flow in field lysimeter experiments over a 1-year period. Root growth and distribution for Johnson grass and rye grass were simulated to compare the warm season grass to the cold season grass. A significant agreement was observed between the simulations and measured data.     

Electrical resistivity tomography as monitoring tool for unsaturated zone transport: an example of preferential transport of deicing chemicals

Non-invasive spatially resolved monitoring techniques may hold the key to observe heterogeneous flow and transport behavior of contaminants in soils. In this study, time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) was employed during an infiltration experiment with deicing chemical in a small field lysimeter. Deicing chemicals like potassium formate, which frequently impact soils on airport sites, were infiltrated during snow melt. Chemical composition of seepage water and the electrical response was recorded over the spring period 2010. Time-lapse electrical resistivity tomographs are able to show the infiltration of the melt water loaded with ionic constituents of deicing chemicals and their degradation product hydrogen carbonate. The tomographs indicate early breakthrough behavior in parts of the profile. Groundtruthing with pore fluid conductivity and water content variations shows disagreement between expected and observed bulk conductivity. This was attributed to the different sampling volume of traditional methods and ERT due to a considerable fraction of immobile water in the soil. The results show that ERT can be used as a soil monitoring tool on airport sites if assisted by common soil monitoring techniques.     

Two-dimensional laboratory simulation of LNAPL infiltration and redistribution in the vadose zone

A quantitative two-dimensional laboratory experiment was conducted to investigate the immiscible flow of a light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) in the vadose zone. An image analysis technique was used to determine the two-dimensional saturation distribution of LNAPL, water and air during LNAPL infiltration and redistribution. Vertical water saturation variations were also continuously monitored with miniature resistivity probes. LNAPL and water pressures were measured using hydrophobic and hydrophilic tensiometers. This study is limited to homogeneous geological conditions, but the unique experimental methods developed will be used to examine more complex systems. The pressure measurements and the quantification of the saturation distribution of all the fluids in the entire flow domain under transient conditions provide quantitative data essential for testing the predictive capability of numerical models. The data are used to examine the adequacy of the constitutive pressure-saturation relations that are used in multiphase flow models. The results indicate that refinement of these commonly used hydraulic relations is needed for accurate model prediction. It is noted in particular that, in three-fluid phase systems, models should account for the existence of a residual NAPL saturation occurring after NAPL drainage. This is of notable importance because residual NAPL can act as a non negligible persistent source of contamination.     

农田包气带土层的脱氮防护探讨

施用氮肥是农业增产的重要手段,广施氮肥易引起包气带土层和地下水中的氮素污染,开展有关包气带土层中的氮素转化、消散以及脱氮防护的相关工作具有重要意义.选择河北山前平原较典型的包气带土层,依托野外试验田区构建的原状渗透土层系统和室内构建的一系列移位原状土柱系统,探索采用向这些土层中施入一定的硝态氮溶液,及配合同步测定土壤的...     

Plant aided bioremediation in the vadose zone: model development and applications

Phytoremediation has the potential to enhance clean up of land contaminated by various pollutants. A mathematical model that includes a two-fluid phase flow model of water flow as well as a two-region soil model of contaminant reactions was developed and applied to various bioremediation scenarios in the unsaturated zone, especially to plant-aided bioremediation. To investigate model behavior and determine the main parameters and mechanisms that affect bioremediation in unplanted and planted soils, numerical simulations of theoretical scenarios were conducted before applying the model to field data. It is observed from the results that parameters affecting the contaminant concentration in the water phase, such as aqueous solubility, the octanol-water partition coefficient, and organic carbon content of the soil controlled the contaminant fate in the vadose zone. Simulation using the developed model also characterized the fate and transport of the contaminants both in planted and unplanted soils satisfactorily for field applications. Although phytoremediation has the potential for remediation of contaminated soils, results from both modeling and field studies suggested that plants may not always enhance the remediation efficiency when the soil already has a high microbial concentration, when the contaminant bioavailability is low, or when the overall reaction is mass transfer-limited. Therefore, other steps to increase contaminant bioavailability are needed in phytoremediation applications; natural purification mechanisms such as aging, volatilization, and natural bioremediation should be considered to maximize the plant effect and minimize the cost.     

基于DRASTIC的包气带阻滞污染物能力研究

对包气带阻滞污染物能力的研究,对保护地下水脆弱性具有重要意义.将传统DRASTIC方法结合层次分析法,对各评价指标赋以新的权重,并依托地理信息系统(GIS)平台,对河南省土壤包气带阻滞污染物的能力进行评价,得到了河南省包气带阻滞能力分区图.结果表明,针对现状所进行的包气带阻滞污染物能力的评价对实际情况具有一定的代表性,...     

Natural attenuation/phytoremediation in the vadose zone of a former industrial sludge basin

The natural attenuation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the vadose zone of a naturally revegetated former industrial sludge basin (0.45 ha) was examined. This was accomplished by comparing the concentration of 16 PAH contaminants present in sludge collected below the root zone of plants with contaminants present at 3 shallower depths within the root zone. Chemical analysis of 240 samples from 60 cores showed the average concentration of total and individual PAHs in the 0-30 cm, 30-60 cm, and bottom of the root zone strata were approximately 10, 20, and 50%, respectively, of the 16, 800 ppm average total PAH concentration in deep non-rooted sludge. Statistically significant differences in average PAH concentrations were observed between each strata studied and the non-rooted sludge except for the concentrations of acenaphthene and chrysene present at the bottom of the root zone in comparison to sludge values. The rooting depth of the vegetation growing in the basin was dependent on both vegetation type and plant age. Average rooting depths for trees, forbs (herbaceous non-grasses), and grasses were 90, 60, and 50 cm, respectively. The deepest root systems observed (100-120 cm) were associated with the oldest (12-14 year-old) mulberry trees. Examination of root systems and PAH concentrations at numerous locations and depths within the basin indicated that plant roots and their microbially active rhizospheres fostered PAH disappearance; including water insoluble, low volatility compounds, i.e. benzo(a)pyrene and benzo(ghi)perylene. The reduced concentration of PAHs in the upper strata of this revegetated former sludge basin indicated that natural attenuation had occurred. This observation supports the concept that through appropriate planting and management practices (phytoremediation) it will be possible to accelerate, maximize, and sustain natural processes, whereby even the most recalcitrant PAH contaminants (i.e. benzo(a)pyrene) can be remediated over time.     

Fugacity models of indoor exposure to volatile chemicals

A method of calculating the atmospheric concentration of a volatile chemical in confined volumes is presented and illustrated which uses the fugacity concept to simplify the manipulation of the various transport and reaction terms. The method is particularly suitable for estimating exposure to chemicals which may be released by evaporation into a house, work place, or partially confined outdoor environment in which there are several volumes (eg. rooms) with known ventilation characteristics. Illustrative calculations are presented.     

The application of ground penetrating radar attenuation tomography in a vadose zone infiltration experiment

Cross-borehole ground penetrating radar (XBGPR) is used in monitoring a long-term vadose zone infiltration experiment at a test site in Socorro, NM in order to examine contaminant transport in the vadose zone. XBGPR attenuation tomography is conducted in order to test the ability of using images of electromagnetic attenuation for hydrogeologic investigations. The results of four pre-infiltration attenuation inversions shows standard deviations below 0.1 Np/m, and demonstrate the consistency of the XBGPR tomography technique for making time-lapse observations. Correlation to the core records indicates that XBGPR attenuation tomograms provide high-resolution images of clay distribution in the vadose zone. Water infiltration at the ground surface was initiated in February 1999 at a constant rate of 2.7 cm/day, and continued at this rate throughout the data collection experiment. Time-lapse attenuation tomograms show that attenuation increases by approximately 0.3 Np/m during the water infiltration, and indicate a snowplow effect may be occurring where salts are dissolved by the water and concentrated at the front of the plume. Seasonal temperature changes may also cause changes in electromagnetic attenuation images, and masking the evidence of water infiltration. Thus caution must be taken when using time-lapse attenuation images to interpret the movement of a water plume during a long-term experiment as temperature changes.     

Transport and degradation of propylene glycol in the vadose zone: model development and sensitivity analysis

Transport and degradation of de-icing chemical (containing propylene glycol, PG) in the vadose zone were studied with a lysimeter experiment and a model, in which transient water flow, kinetic degradation of PG and soil chemistry were combined. The lysimeter experiment indicated that aerobic as well as anaerobic degradation occurs in the vadose zone. Therefore, the model included both types of degradation, which was made possible by assuming advection-controlled (mobile) and diffusion-controlled (immobile) zones. In the mobile zone, oxygen can be transported by diffusion in the gas phase. The immobile zone is always water-saturated, and oxygen only diffuses slowly in the water phase. Therefore, the model is designed in a way that the redox potential can decrease when PG is degraded, and thus, anaerobic degradation can occur. In our model, manganese oxide (MnO₂, which is present in the soil) and NO \(_{3}^{-}\) (applied to enhance biodegradation) can be used as electron acceptors for anaerobic degradation. The application of NO \(_{3}^{-}\) does not result in a lower leaching of PG nor in a slower depletion of MnO₂. The thickness of the snowcover influences the leached fraction of PG, as with a high infiltration rate, transport is fast, there is less time for degradation and thus more PG will leach. The model showed that, in this soil, the effect of the water flow dominates over the effect of the degradation parameters on the leaching at a 1-m depth.     

Toxicity testing of highly volatile chemicals with green algae

A gas-tight system for toxicity testing of highly volatile chemicals with the green algaChlamydomonas reinhardtii was developed. The procedure permits maintenance of constant and defined concentrations of the tested compounds in the vessels. To ensure sufficient CO₂-supply, new bipartite test vessels were used. These vessels allowed spatial separation of a HCO₃-/CO ₃ ^2? buffer used for CO₂ supply and the alga culture to avoid growth inhibition due to ionic strength. Several volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons have been tested. Their EC10 values were several orders of magnitude lower than those obtained with open test systems.     

Metabolism of the explosive hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) in a contaminated vadose zone

The aim of this study was to explore biodegradation potential of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) in a deep contaminated unsaturated zone over Israel's coastal aquifer. While anaerobic biodegradation potential was observed throughout the profile down to the water table at a depth of 45 m, aerobic biodegradation was limited to the surface of the unsaturated zone. Traces of nitroso-RDX intermediates were detected in the soil samples, indicating possible in situ activity. Polymerase chain reaction and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis revealed that the microbial population in the soil consisted of protobacteria, but no known RDX degraders were detected. However, a 16S rRNA gene sequence most similar to Sphingomonas sp. was detected at all depths. Biodegradation rates were faster in the surface (0 and 1m) versus deeper soil samples (22 and 45 m) and were not affected under anaerobic conditions by the presence of nitrate, indicating a concurrent reduction of both compounds. RDX half-life in the surface soil was mostly dependent on carbon content and to lesser extent on soil moisture. Biomineralization of RDX to CO(2) was confirmed by incubating surface soil with (14)C-labeled RDX. An aerobic RDX-degrading bacterium, identified as Gordonia sp., was isolated from the soil: it degraded RDX aerobically and produced 4-nitro-2,4-diazabutanal. This study, the first to explore RDX biodegradation in the deep vadoze zone, indicates biodegradation potential throughout the profile, which is likely to support natural attenuation.