Dissolution of TCE and TCA pools in saturated subsurface systems

Journal Article · · Journal of Environmental Engineering (New York); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(1994)120:5(1191)· OSTI ID:6978935

Pearce, A E ^[1]; Voudrias, E A ^[2]; Whelan, M P ^[3]

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1. Engineering-Science, Inc., Atlanta, GA (United States)
2. Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States). School of Civil Engineering
3. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering

The factors affecting the dissolution kinetics of 1,1,2-trichloroethene (TCE) and 1,1,2-trichloroethane (TCA) pools in saturated porous media were investigated, using an experimental aquifer and a pool formation method specially developed for dense nonaqueous-phase liquids (DNAPLs). Under conditions of steady and uniform flow, the dissolved DNAPL concentrations decreased with increasing vertical distance from the pool resulting steep concentration gradients. The concentration gradient increased with increasing ground-water velocity. The vertical extent (thickness) of the dissolved plume increased with increasing distance along the pool and decreasing ground-water velocity. In all cases, measured concentrations were a small fraction of the respective DNAPL solubility. A two-dimensional steady-state transport model successfully predicted the TCA experimental data, but the prediction for TCE was rather poor. This was attributed to heterogeneities in the TCE pool. Depending on ground-water velocity and DNAPL solubility, pool removal times by pumping were determined to be between 0.4 and five years, which is an extremely long period for the small volumes DNAPL considered.

• OSTI ID: 6978935
• Journal Information: Journal of Environmental Engineering (New York); (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Engineering (New York); (United States) Vol. 120:5; ISSN 0733-9372; ISSN JOEEDU
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
CONTAMINATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GROUND WATER
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
WATER
WATER POLLUTION