Facilitated transport of selected metals in aquifer material packed columns

Several factors may enhance the mobility of metals in an aquifer. Metals in such systems may associate with inorganic or organic ligands that affect retardation or with mobile colloids which may provide a faster transport mechanism. Complexation and/or sorption of a fraction of the metal may result...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of contaminant hydrology 1993-11, Vol.14 (3), p.233-246
Main Authors: Newman, Meredith E., Elzerman, Alan W., Looney, Brian B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
Exact sciences and technology
Hydrogeology
Hydrology. Hydrogeology
Pollution, environment geology
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Summary:Several factors may enhance the mobility of metals in an aquifer. Metals in such systems may associate with inorganic or organic ligands that affect retardation or with mobile colloids which may provide a faster transport mechanism. Complexation and/or sorption of a fraction of the metal may result in mobility in excess of that predicted using a single equilibrium based distribution coefficient which was derived from a more simple system. Failure to predict enhanced contaminant mobility may result in false predictions of arrival times and concentrations, and underestimation of human exposure to a contaminant. In this paper the results of a series of laboratory column studies designed to investigate factors influencing enhanced mobility of metals (Cd, Cu, Cr and Pb) in an aquifer are presented. The first of two peaks in effluent metal concentration resulting from a pulse input of metal waste to an aquifer material packed column was observed to coincide with a peak in effluent turbidity. SEM/EDX analysis showed metals to be sorbed to the surface of the turbidity causing colloids. These observations indicated association with mobile colloids may facilitate the transport of metals through soil packed columns. The mobilization and/or transport of colloids was apparently influenced by alterations in eluent chemistry, such as pH and ionic strength. The results also indicated complexation can enhance Pb mobility. Greater sensitivity of mobility to alterations in groundwater chemistry was observed for Pb and Cr than for Cd and Cu.
ISSN:0169-7722
1873-6009
DOI:10.1016/0169-7722(93)90026-O