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Title: Partitioning Tracers for In-Situ Measurement of Nonaqueous Phase Liquids in the Subsurface - Final Report - 09/15/1996 - 09/14/2000

Abstract

The overall goal of the proposed project is to explore the use of partitioning tracers to characterize dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) in aquifer systems. Bulk-phase partitioning tracers will be investigated to detect and determine DNAPL saturation, while interface partitioning tracers will be investigated to measure the area of the DNAPL-water interface. The specific objectives that will be addressed to accomplish this goal are: (1) Investigate the use of partitioning tracers to detect and determine both the saturation and interfacial area of DNAPLs in saturated porous media. (2) Investigate the effect of rate-limited mass transfer on the transport behavior of partitioning tracers. (3) Investigate the effect of porous-media heterogeneity on the transport behavior of partitioning tracers. (4) Develop and evaluate mathematical models capable of simulating the transport of partitioning tracers in complex systems. This proposal outlines an integrated approach for the development and testing of a unique method for detecting and measuring DNAPL in aquifer systems. The approach combines one-dimensional laboratory experiments, three-dimensional intermediate-scale flow cell experiments, physical methods for DNAPL description (including dual-energy gamma radiation), and advanced modeling techniques. This approach will allow a new, promising technique for characterizing DNAPL in aquifer systems to be verified by established laboratorymore » and numerical methods. The effect of heterogeneity will be examined by the use of a flow-cell packed with layers of variable permeability and containing multiple sample ports. The effect of rate-limited liquid-liquid mass transfer will be investigated by examining the impact of pore-water velocity and DNAPL form on transport of the partitioning tracers. Effective risk assessment and remediation of DNAPL contaminated sites is constrained by the limitations of current site characterization techniques. A major weakness of the current methods is that they provide data at discrete points, such that the probability of sampling a zone of localized DNAPL is quite small. The results of the research will lead to improved techniques for characterizing DNAPL contaminated sites and will enhance our understanding of the distribution of DNAPLs in the subsurface risk assessments and remediation planning.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (US)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM) (US)
OSTI Identifier:
790174
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER/14722; Project Number 54908
TRN: US200202%%234
DOE Contract Number:  
FG07-96ER14722
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 14 Sep 2000
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; AQUIFERS; MASS TRANSFER; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; PERMEABILITY; SAMPLING; SITE CHARACTERIZATION; ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; TRACER TECHNIQUES; PARTITION; REMEDIAL ACTION; DENSE NONAQUEOUS PHASE LIQUIDS (DNAPLS); AQUIFER SYSTEMS; BULK-PHASE PARTITIONING TRACERS; INTERFACE PARTITIONING TRACERS; SATURATION; POROUS-MEDIA HETEROGENEITY

Citation Formats

Brusseau, Mark L. Partitioning Tracers for In-Situ Measurement of Nonaqueous Phase Liquids in the Subsurface - Final Report - 09/15/1996 - 09/14/2000. United States: N. p., 2000. Web. doi:10.2172/790174.
Brusseau, Mark L. Partitioning Tracers for In-Situ Measurement of Nonaqueous Phase Liquids in the Subsurface - Final Report - 09/15/1996 - 09/14/2000. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/790174
Brusseau, Mark L. 2000. "Partitioning Tracers for In-Situ Measurement of Nonaqueous Phase Liquids in the Subsurface - Final Report - 09/15/1996 - 09/14/2000". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/790174. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/790174.
@article{osti_790174,
title = {Partitioning Tracers for In-Situ Measurement of Nonaqueous Phase Liquids in the Subsurface - Final Report - 09/15/1996 - 09/14/2000},
author = {Brusseau, Mark L},
abstractNote = {The overall goal of the proposed project is to explore the use of partitioning tracers to characterize dense nonaqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) in aquifer systems. Bulk-phase partitioning tracers will be investigated to detect and determine DNAPL saturation, while interface partitioning tracers will be investigated to measure the area of the DNAPL-water interface. The specific objectives that will be addressed to accomplish this goal are: (1) Investigate the use of partitioning tracers to detect and determine both the saturation and interfacial area of DNAPLs in saturated porous media. (2) Investigate the effect of rate-limited mass transfer on the transport behavior of partitioning tracers. (3) Investigate the effect of porous-media heterogeneity on the transport behavior of partitioning tracers. (4) Develop and evaluate mathematical models capable of simulating the transport of partitioning tracers in complex systems. This proposal outlines an integrated approach for the development and testing of a unique method for detecting and measuring DNAPL in aquifer systems. The approach combines one-dimensional laboratory experiments, three-dimensional intermediate-scale flow cell experiments, physical methods for DNAPL description (including dual-energy gamma radiation), and advanced modeling techniques. This approach will allow a new, promising technique for characterizing DNAPL in aquifer systems to be verified by established laboratory and numerical methods. The effect of heterogeneity will be examined by the use of a flow-cell packed with layers of variable permeability and containing multiple sample ports. The effect of rate-limited liquid-liquid mass transfer will be investigated by examining the impact of pore-water velocity and DNAPL form on transport of the partitioning tracers. Effective risk assessment and remediation of DNAPL contaminated sites is constrained by the limitations of current site characterization techniques. A major weakness of the current methods is that they provide data at discrete points, such that the probability of sampling a zone of localized DNAPL is quite small. The results of the research will lead to improved techniques for characterizing DNAPL contaminated sites and will enhance our understanding of the distribution of DNAPLs in the subsurface risk assessments and remediation planning.},
doi = {10.2172/790174},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/790174}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Sep 14 00:00:00 EDT 2000},
month = {Thu Sep 14 00:00:00 EDT 2000}
}