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Coupling of Traditional Soil Vapor Extraction Pilot Test with Partitioning Tracer Tests to Obtain Field Scale Formation Parameters for Mass Flux Modeling
When is a soil vapor extraction project complete? Regulatory entities are beginning to define site closure based on predicted contaminant mass flux degradation to the underlying aquifer. The formation parameters, such as permeability, pore volume, moisture content and nonaqueous phase (NAPL) saturation values that are inputs to mass flux models can be determined via a number of different mechanisms. They can be determined at the laboratory scale at various discrete locations within the formation and interpolated for the entire formation or field scale tests can be performed to determine these parameters. A gas-phase partitioning tracer test was performed at the Tucson International Airport Superfund site. Coupling a partitioning tracer test with traditional soil vapor extraction pilot testing allowed for the determination of field-scale values for soil permeability, air conductivity, pore volume, moisture content and nonaqueous phase saturation values. These parameters can be utilized for modeling mass flux in the subsurface for the subsequent soil vapor extraction project.
Contact: Michelle Simon, 513/569-7469, (EIMS#56388)