Sulfur hexafluoride gas tracer studies in streams

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1998 · Journal of Environmental Engineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(1998)124:8(752)· OSTI ID:642271

Hibbs, D E; Gulliver, J S ^[1]; Parkhill, K L ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States). Dept. of Civil Engineering
2. Freese and Nichols, Inc., Fort Worth, TX (United States)

Gas tracers are useful investigative tools in the study of reaeration and the fate of volatile organic contaminants in many natural streams. They enable the direct measurement of a variety of stream parameters, including the gas exchange rates between the stream and the atmosphere, as well as the spreading rate for dissolved pollutants downstream of a discharge point or spill site. The air-water mass transfer coefficients, dispersion coefficients, and mean residence times in two experimental streams and one natural stream are measured using a variation of the standard volatile tracer-dye technique. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF{sub 6}) is used as the volatile tracer and rhodamine WT is used as the conservative tracer. The low limit of quantification of SF{sub 6} makes it possible to inject SF{sub 6}-rich water into many streams and avoid complications with dosing a stream with a gaseous tracer. The experimental methods are described in detail. The SF{sub 6} measurements were extremely precise, producing smooth concentration time curves. The SF{sub 6} measurements collected in side-by-side experimental channels yielded similar values of the gas transfer coefficient.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 642271
• Journal Information: Journal of Environmental Engineering, Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Engineering Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 124; ISSN 0733-9372; ISSN JOEEDU
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
STREAMS
SULFUR FLUORIDES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VOLATILE MATTER
WATER POLLUTION