Investigation of a solvent polluted industrial site on a deep sandstone-mudstone sequence in the UK. Part 1. Site description and groundwater flow
The sources and subsurface movement of chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents have been investigated at an industrial site, as part of a wider study of groundwater pollution by these solvents in the area of Coventry (UK). This paper presents a description of the site and groundwater flow as a prelude to a...
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| Published in: | Journal of hydrology (Amsterdam) 1993, Vol.149 (1), p.209-229 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | eng |
| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | The sources and subsurface movement of chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents have been investigated at an industrial site, as part of a wider study of groundwater pollution by these solvents in the area of Coventry (UK). This paper presents a description of the site and groundwater flow as a prelude to a second paper describing the distribution, transport and fate of pollutants. Both open boreholes and a single borehole incorporating a multilevel sampler were constructed, and pumping and tracer tests performed. The latter borehole was the most successful in defining hydraulic heads for individual aquifer units. The cyclic pumping of the production borehole was analysed using a computer model to gain hydraulic data for aquifer and aquitard units. The tracer test defined, qualitatively, the role played by matrix diffusion in solute transport within the dual porosity aquifer. It is concluded that horizontal groundwater flow is dominant along fissured, moderately permeable sandstone layers. The low permeabilities of mudstone layers maintain high vertical hydraulic gradients. Sorption of contaminants on to the aquifer matrix is likely to be low, owing to a low fraction of organic carbon. However, matrix diffusion will serve to attenuate peak concentrations of pollutants and stretch pollution pulses in time. |
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| ISSN: | 0022-1694 1879-2707 |