In-situ characterization of soil-water content using gas-phase partitioning tracer tests: field-scale evaluation

The integrated contaminant elution and tracer test toolkit, ICET3, for improved characterization of mass transfer, attenuation, and mass removal

It is evident based on historical data that groundwater contaminant plumes persist at many sites, requiring costly long-term management. High-resolution site-characterization methods are needed to support accurate risk assessments and to select, design, and operate effective remediation operations. Most subsurface characterization methods are generally limited in their ability to provide unambiguous, real-time delineation of specific processes affecting mass-transfer, transformation, and mass removal, and accurate estimation of associated rates. An integrated contaminant elution and tracer test toolkit, comprising a set of local-scale groundwater extraction-and injection tests, was developed to ameliorate the primary limitations associated with standard characterization methods. The test employs extended groundwater extraction to stress the system and induce hydraulic and concentration gradients. Clean water can be injected, which removes the resident aqueous contaminant mass present in the higher-permeability zones and isolates the test zone from the surrounding plume. This ensures that the concentrations and fluxes measured within the isolated area are directly and predominantly influenced by the local mass-transfer and transformation processes controlling mass removal. A suite of standard and novel tracers can be used to delineate specific mass-transfer and attenuation processes that are active at a given site, and to quantify the associated mass-transfer and transformation rates. The conceptual basis for the test is first presented, followed by an illustrative application based on simulations produced with a 3-D mathematical model and a brief case study application.

Using a Gas-Phase Tracer Test to Characterize the Impact of Landfill Gas Generation on Advective-Dispersive Transport of VOCs in the Vadose Zone

A gas-phase tracer test (GTT) was conducted at a landfill in Tucson, AZ, to help elucidate the impact of landfill gas generation on the transport and fate of chlorinated aliphatic volatile organic contaminants (VOCs). Sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) was used as the non-reactive gas tracer. Gas samples were collected from a multiport monitoring well located 15.2 m from the injection well, and analyzed for SF₆, CH₄, CO₂, and VOCs. The travel times determined for SF₆ from the tracer test are approximately two to ten times smaller than estimated travel times that incorporate transport by only gas-phase diffusion. In addition, significant concentrations of CH₄ and CO₂ were measured, indicating production of landfill gas. Based on these results, it is hypothesized that the enhanced rates of transport observed for SF₆ are caused by advective transport associated with landfill gas generation. The rates of transport varied vertically, which is attributed to multiple factors including spatial variability of water content, refuse mass, refuse permeability, and gas generation.

Characterization and Remediation of Chlorinated Volatile Organic Contaminants in the Vadose Zone: An Overview of Issues and Approaches

Contamination of vadose-zone systems by chlorinated solvents is widespread, and poses significant potential risk to human health through impacts on groundwater quality and vapor intrusion. Soil vapor extraction (SVE) is the presumptive remedy for such contamination, and has been used successfully for innumerable sites. However, SVE operations typically exhibit reduced mass-removal effectiveness at some point due to the impact of poorly accessible contaminant mass and associated mass-transfer limitations. Assessment of SVE performance and closure is currently based on characterizing contaminant mass discharge associated with the vadose-zone source, and its impact on groundwater or vapor intrusion. These issues are addressed in this overview, with a focus on summarizing recent advances in our understanding of the transport, characterization, and remediation of chlorinated solvents in the vadose zone. The evolution of contaminant distribution over time and the associated impacts on remediation efficiency will be discussed, as will the potential impact of persistent sources on groundwater quality and vapor intrusion. In addition, alternative methods for site characterization and remediation will be addressed.

Vapor-phase transport of trichloroethene in an intermediate-scale vadose-zone system: retention processes and tracer-based prediction

Gas-phase transport experiments were conducted using a large weighing lysimeter to evaluate retention processes for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water-unsaturated (vadose-zone) systems, and to test the utility of gas-phase tracers for predicting VOC retardation. Trichloroethene (TCE) served as a model VOC, while trichlorofluoromethane (CFM) and heptane were used as partitioning tracers to independently characterize retention by water and the air-water interface, respectively. Retardation factors for TCE ranged between 1.9 and 3.5, depending on water content. The results indicate that dissolution into the bulk water was the primary retention mechanism for TCE under all conditions studied, contributing approximately two-thirds of the total measured retention. Accumulation at the air-water interface comprised a significant fraction of the observed retention for all experiments, with an average contribution of approximately 24%. Sorption to the solid phase contributed approximately 10% to retention. Water contents and air-water interfacial areas estimated based on the CFM and heptane tracer data, respectively, were similar to independently measured values. Retardation factors for TCE predicted using the partitioning-tracer data were in reasonable agreement with the measured values. These results suggest that gas-phase tracer tests hold promise for characterizing the retention and transport of VOCs in the vadose-zone.

Photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy for conducting gas tracer tests and measuring water saturations in landfills

Gas tracer tests can be used to determine gas flow patterns within landfills, quantify volatile contaminant residence time, and measure water within refuse. While gas chromatography (GC) has been traditionally used to analyze gas tracers in refuse, photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) might allow real-time measurements with reduced personnel costs and greater mobility and ease of use. Laboratory and field experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of PAS for conducting gas tracer tests in landfills. Two tracer gases, difluoromethane (DFM) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF(6)), were measured with a commercial PAS instrument. Relative measurement errors were invariant with tracer concentration but influenced by background gas: errors were 1-3% in landfill gas but 4-5% in air. Two partitioning gas tracer tests were conducted in an aerobic landfill, and limits of detection (LODs) were 3-4 times larger for DFM with PAS versus GC due to temporal changes in background signals. While higher LODs can be compensated by injecting larger tracer mass, changes in background signals increased the uncertainty in measured water saturations by up to 25% over comparable GC methods. PAS has distinct advantages over GC with respect to personnel costs and ease of use, although for field applications GC analyses of select samples are recommended to quantify instrument interferences.

Using aliphatic alcohols as gaseous tracers in determination of water contents and air-water interfacial areas in unsaturated sands

A new type of gaseous tracer utilizing nontoxic aliphatic alcohols for the determination of water content and air-water interfacial area is tested on unsaturated sands of low water content. Alcohol vapors are generated at room temperature and passed through the experimental sand column. Breakthrough curves (BTCs) of these vapors are obtained by monitoring their effluent concentrations using GC-FID. The retardation factor with respect to each vapor transport process is obtained by optimizing BTCs data using the CXTFIT program in the reverse problem mode. The water content and the interfacial area are subsequently calculated from their retardation factors by both equilibrium and nonequilibrium transport models. Experimental results indicate that the pentanol tracer is feasible in the determination of water content at conditions when the degree of water saturation is low. In the determination of air-water interfacial area, decanol is selected due to its interfacial adsorption characteristics. By comparing to interfacial areas from theoretical predictions as well as other conventional tarcer methods, the ones determined from the decanol tracer tests are found to be close to the true interfacial areas when the water content is low.

Analysis of a gas-phase partitioning tracer test conducted in an unsaturated fractured-clay formation

The gas-phase partitioning tracer method was used to estimate non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL), water, and air saturations in the vadose zone at a chlorinated-solvent contaminated field site in Tucson, AZ. The tracer test was conducted in a fractured-clay system that is the confining layer for the underlying regional aquifer. Three suites of three tracers were injected into wells located 14, 24, and 24 m from a single, central extraction well. The tracers comprised noble gases (traditionally thought to be nonsorbing), alkanes (primarily water partitioning), perfluorides (primarily NAPL partitioning), and halons (both NAPL and water partitioning). Observations of vacuum response were consistent with flow in a fractured system. The halon tracers exhibited the greatest amount of retardation, and helium and the perfluoride tracers the least. The alkane tracers were unexpectedly more retarded than the perfluoride tracers, indicating low NAPL saturations and high water saturations. An NAPL saturation of 0.01, water saturation of 0.215, and gas saturation of 0.775 was estimated based on analysis of the suite of tracers comprising helium, perfluoromethylcyclohexane and dibromodifluoromethane, which was considered to be the most robust set. The estimated saturations compare reasonably well to independently determined values.

Measurement of gas-accessible NAPL saturation in soil using gaseous tracers

In this laboratory study, a new experimental method involving the use of a set of four gaseous tracers, was developed for measuring the NAPL saturation directly accessible to the mobile gas as well as the total NAPL saturation in unsaturated sand. One tracer with low water solubility (n-pentane) was used as the tracerthat partitions into NAPL directly accessible to the mobile gas, and another (chloroform)tracer with moderate water solubility and NAPL-partitioning, was selected for detecting total NAPL saturation. Helium and difluoromethane were used as the nonreactive and water-partitioning tracers, respectively. A saturated hydrocarbon, n-decane, was used as NAPL. Column experiments were conducted attwo water saturations (Sw = 0.68 and 0.16). The total NAPL saturation and NAPL saturation not directly accessible to the mobile gas were also successfully measured using the combined results of tracer experiments. At Sw = 0.68, only 28% of the total NAPL was detected by n-pentane, whereas 87% of the total NAPL was accessible to n-pentane at Sw = 0.16, implying more NAPL was accessible to the mobile gas phase at lower water saturation.

Review of state of the art methods for measuring water in landfills

In recent years several types of sensors and measurement techniques have been developed for measuring the moisture content, water saturation, or the volumetric water content of landfilled wastes. In this work, we review several of the most promising techniques. The basic principles behind each technique are discussed and field applications of the techniques are presented, including cost estimates. For several sensors, previously unpublished data are given. Neutron probes, electrical resistivity (impedance) sensors, time domain reflectometry (TDR) sensors, and the partitioning gas tracer technique (PGTT) were field tested with results compared to gravimetric measurements or estimates of the volumetric water content or moisture content. Neutron probes were not able to accurately measure the volumetric water content, but could track changes in moisture conditions. Electrical resistivity and TDR sensors tended to provide biased estimates, with instrument-determined moisture contents larger than independent estimates. While the PGTT resulted in relatively accurate measurements, electrical resistivity and TDR sensors provide more rapid results and are better suited for tracking infiltration fronts. Fiber optic sensors and electrical resistivity tomography hold promise for measuring water distributions in situ, particularly during infiltration events, but have not been tested with independent measurements to quantify their accuracy. Additional work is recommended to advance the development of some of these instruments and to acquire an improved understanding of liquid movement in landfills by application of the most promising techniques in the field.

Field application of partitioning gas tracer test for measuring water in a bioreactor landfill

Two field-scale partitioning gas tracer tests (PGTTs) were performed to evaluate the utility of the PGTT method for measuring water saturation and moisture content in a full-scale bioreactor landfill, where waste biodegradation resulted in elevated temperatures and significant landfill gas production. The average water saturation and moisture content were measured for waste volumes of approximately 20 m(3) and results were compared to gravimetric measurement of moisture content made on samples collected from the landfill. In the center of the landfill, the moisture content estimated from the PGTT was Mc = 0.26 +/-0.03, which was nearly identical to the gravimetric measurement of waste samples taken from the same region (Mc = 0.28). PGTT-estimated moisture contents in a dry area of the landfill were much smaller (Mc = 0.10+/-0.01) and consistent with available gravimetric measurements. Biodegradation of tracers and temporal variations in landfill gas production were minimal and did not influence the tests. These field experiments demonstrate the utility of the PGTT method for measuring water saturation and estimating moisture content in bioreactor landfills with active waste degradation and generation of landfill gases. However, use of the PGTT to estimate the in situ moisture content requires estimates of the refuse porosity, dry bulk density, and temperature, which might limit its application.

Measuring seasonal variations of moisture in a landfill with the partitioning gas tracer test

Seven pilot-scale partitioning gas tracer tests (PGTTs) were conducted to assess the accuracy and reproducibility of this method for measuring water in municipal solid waste landfills. Tests were conducted in the same location over a 12-month period, and measured moisture conditions ranged from possible dry waste to refuse with a moisture content of 24.7%. The final moisture content of 24.7% was in reasonable agreement with gravimetric measurements of excavated refuse, where the moisture content was 26.5+/-6.0 CI%. Laboratory tests were used to assess the utility of the PGTT for measuring water in small pores, water sorbed to solid surfaces, and the influence of dry waste on PGTTs. These experiments indicated that when refuse surfaces are not completely solvated with water, PGTTs may produce misleading results (negative estimates) of water saturation and moisture content.

Solving the advection-diffusion equations in biological contexts using the cellular Potts model

The cellular Potts model (CPM) is a robust, cell-level methodology for simulation of biological tissues and morphogenesis. Both tissue physiology and morphogenesis depend on diffusion of chemical morphogens in the extra-cellular fluid or matrix (ECM). Standard diffusion solvers applied to the cellular potts model use finite difference methods on the underlying CPM lattice. However, these methods produce a diffusing field tied to the underlying lattice, which is inaccurate in many biological situations in which cell or ECM movement causes advection rapid compared to diffusion. Finite difference schemes suffer numerical instabilities solving the resulting advection-diffusion equations. To circumvent these problems we simulate advection diffusion within the framework of the CPM using off-lattice finite-difference methods. We define a set of generalized fluid particles which detach advection and diffusion from the lattice. Diffusion occurs between neighboring fluid particles by local averaging rules which approximate the Laplacian. Directed spin flips in the CPM handle the advective movement of the fluid particles. A constraint on relative velocities in the fluid explicitly accounts for fluid viscosity. We use the CPM to solve various diffusion examples including multiple instantaneous sources, continuous sources, moving sources, and different boundary geometries and conditions to validate our approximation against analytical and established numerical solutions. We also verify the CPM results for Poiseuille flow and Taylor-Aris dispersion.