Physical and chemical controls on subsurface contaminant fate and transport
In the natural terrestrial environment, subsurface soils and bedrock are the primary control on the long-term fate of liquid and solid anthropogenic contaminants. Accounting for field-scale complexity in the subsurface is the central challenge in solving pressing contaminant transport problems. The subsurface is difficult to observe at the field scale, but field data offer a glimpse into the complexity of natural systems, and attempts to explain this complexity greatly benefit subsurface contaminant research. This dissertation investigates the complexities of field-scale contaminant transport behavior by making quantitative subsurface field observations of soil and bedrock properties and subsurface water and contaminant distributions, developing conceptual models of subsurface processes based on those field data, and subsequently testing those conceptual models using analytical and numerical models. The subsurface fate and transport behavior of two sets of contaminants are investigated: nitrate and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, both of which have significant ecological and societal consequences. A wide range of field methods are used to measure subsurface properties and processes, including soil and bedrock hydraulic properties, water table elevations, water contents, soil infiltration rates, water chemistry. These quantitative data are interpreted alongside analytical and numerical models of water flow and solute transport to investigate the processes behind observed contaminant distributions and timing of contaminant movement. This dissertation highlights the importance of direct measurements of subsurface properties for accurately assessing contamination of water resources, yields new insights into the fundamental processes governing the subsurface transport of water and solutes, and generates quantitative data needed to address the ever-evolving threats to human water security.
Files
Metadata
Work Title | Physical and chemical controls on subsurface contaminant fate and transport |
---|---|
Access | |
Creators |
|
License | CC0 1.0 (Public Domain Dedication) |
Work Type | Dissertation |
Publication Date | August 2021 |
DOI | doi:10.26207/36q5-et85 |
Deposited | May 10, 2021 |
Versions
Analytics
Collections
This resource is currently not in any collection.