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Title: Geochemical & Physical Aquifer Property Heterogeneity: A Multiscale Sedimentologic Approach to Reactive Solute Transport

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/895914· OSTI ID:895914

This project is testing the hypothesis that sedimentary lithofacies determine the geochemical and physical hydrologic properties that control reactive solute transport (Figure 1). We are testing that hypothesis for one site, a portion of the saturated zone at the Hanford Site (Ringold Formation), and for a model solute, carbon tetrachloride (CT). The representative geochemical and physical aquifer properties selected for quantification in the proposed project are the properties that control CT transport: hydraulic conductivity (K) and reactivity (sorption distribution coefficient, Kd, and anaerobic transformation rate constant, kn). We are combining observations at outcrop analog sites (to measure lithofacies dimensions and statistical relations) with measurements from archived and fresh core samples (for geochemical experiments and to provide additional constraint to the stratigraphic model) from the Ringold Formation to place local-scale lithofacies successions, and their distinct hydrologic property distributions, into the basinal context, thus allowing us to estimate the spatial distributions of properties that control reactive solute transport in the subsurface.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
OSTI ID:
895914
Report Number(s):
ERSD-1028037-2006; R&D Project: ERSD 1028037; TRN: US200703%%226
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English