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Analytical modeling of aquifer decontamination by pumping when transport is affected by rate-limited sorption

Journal Article · · Water Resources Research; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/90WR02760· OSTI ID:5891938
;  [1]
  1. Air Force Inst. of Tech., Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (United States)
Aquifer cleanup efforts at contaminated sites frequently involve operation of a system of extraction wells. It has been found that contaminant load discharged by extraction wells typically declines with time, asymptotically approaching a residual level. Such behavior could be due to rate-limited desorption of an organic contaminant from aquifer solids. An analytical model is presented which accounts for rate-limited desorption of an organic solute during cleanup of a contaminated site. Model equations are presented which describe transport of a sorbing contaminant in a converging radial flow field, with sorption described by (1) equilibrium, (2) first-order rate, and (3) Fickian diffusion expressions. The model equations are solved in the Laplace domain and numerically inverted to simulate contaminant concentrations at an extraction well. A Laplace domain solution for the total contaminant mass remaining in the aquifer is also derived. It is shown that rate-limited sorption can have a significant impact upon aquifer remediation. Approximate equivalence among the various rate-limited models is also demonstrated.
OSTI ID:
5891938
Journal Information:
Water Resources Research; (United States), Journal Name: Water Resources Research; (United States) Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 27:4; ISSN 0043-1397; ISSN WRERA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English