Understanding the impact of low permeability media on groundwater remediation
X. Fu,1 K.R. Fowler, 1 M. Crimi, 2
G. Jiang2
1Math
& Computer Science, 2Environmental Health Sciences and Environmental
Science & Policy
Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699
In groundwater remediation, contaminants trapped in low permeability soil after clean-up can
cause re-contamination in the same area. Currently, there is a lack of understanding and tools
to predict the behavior of the trapped contaminant in terms of its rate and extent of release
from storage. Understanding this issue can help hydrologists decide the scale and type of
treatment method that is suitable for a site as well when the re-treatment should occur. The
motivation of this work is to study the behavior of trapped contaminant in low permeability
media (LPM) and how it affects the long-term remediation strategy. The mathematical model
in this study is built upon existing equations that describe the groundwater flow, contaminant
advection and diffusion, as well as contaminant sorption and desorption. The mathematical
model is then developed into computer-simulated numerical model to observe contaminant
behavior.