The Migration Behaviour of Transuranium Elements in Gorleben Aquifer Systems: Colloid Generation and Retention Process

1988 ◽  
Vol 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. I. Kim ◽  
G. Buckau ◽  
H. Rommel ◽  
B. Sohnius

ABSTRACTThe colloid generation as a part of the migration process of trans-uranic ions has been studied in the Gorlben aquifer system. From the migration study for the Gorleben repository site, typical examples are selected to demonstrate the influence of colloids. The quantification of colloid generation and its influence on the dissolution and geochemical sorption of transuranium elements are discussed.

1987 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.F. Devlin ◽  
W.A. Gorman

Abstract The Gloucester Landfill is located near Ottawa, Ontario, on a northeast trending ridge of Quaternary age. The ridge comprises outwash sediments which make up two aquifer systems. A confined system exists next to bedrock, and is overlain by a silty-clayey stratum (the confining layer) which is, in turn, overlain by an unconfined aquifer system. Two independent volatile organic plumes have previously been identified at the landfill: the southeast plume, which has penetrated the confined aquifer system, and the northeast plume which is migrating in the unconfined aquifer. The distribution of volatile organic contaminants at the northeast plume site appears to be a function of two factors: (1) heterogeneities in the aquifer sediments are causing the channeling of contaminants through a narrow path; (2) the low fraction of organic carbon in the unconfined aquifer sediments at the northeast site is resulting in little retardation of the contaminants there, relative to those at the southeast site. Acetate was the only volatile fatty acid detected in the leachate. It was measurable only in areas where the volatile organic contamination was significant. Although methane was detected in the contaminated sediments, suggesting that microbial activity was present, the high concentration of acetate (>1000 ppm) which was detected down-gradient from the source area indicates that any biodegradation which is occurring is proceeding at a very slow rate.


Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 2849
Author(s):  
Fatima Abdelfadel ◽  
Mohamed Hilali ◽  
Claude Fontaine ◽  
Abderrazak El Albani ◽  
Abderahman Mahboub ◽  
...  

The eastern part of Morocco, surrounded by the High Atlas chain close to Errachidia, represents a very sensitive area in a semi-arid context. Average annual rainfall does not exceed 300 mm/year. Most of the regional water resources are linked to the aquifer systems in the Atlas area. The study site coincides with the Eastern Upper Guir Basin, one of the main rivers in Eastern Morocco. This basin is located close to the eastern border of the Moroccan High Atlas. The geology of the basin consists mainly of Jurassic and Cretaceous formations. The structure of the basin is strongly affected by the Atlasian tectonics. This results in successive large synclines separated by major W-E faults. The hydrogeological system of the basin is accordingly constituted by sub-basins associated with each syncline and separated by faulted anticlines, whose overlapping faults act as semi-impermeable barriers. This compartmentalization causes the very complex functioning of the whole system. The study undertaken, based on structural, meteorological, hydrogeological, hydrochemical and isotopic data, allowed us to advance significantly in the understanding of this system. The compartments behave as hydrogeological sub-units but remain interdependent on each other. The recharge of the aquifer system is essentially associated with the rains and snowfalls at high altitudes. This is consistent with the stable isotope results. Important development projects are planned in this region, associated with a drastic increase in water demands. Groundwater suitability was assessed using the WHO standards for drinking purposes and the SAR (sodium adsorption ratio) for irrigation. Complementary investigations should be considered to further the results presented here and move towards a quantitative assessment and management of the water resources.


2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 448-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linhua Sun ◽  
Song Chen ◽  
Herong Gui

Water source identification is important for water hazard controlling in coal mines. In this study, major ion concentrations of the groundwater collected from four representative aquifer systems in the Baishan coal mine, northern Anhui Province, China, have been analysed by a series of statistical methods. The results indicate that the major ion concentrations of the groundwater from different aquifer system are different with each other, and provided the possibility of water source identification based on hydrochemistry. Factor analysis indicates that these differences are controlled by different types of water rock interactions. The analysis based on US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Unmix model identified three sources (weathering of silicate minerals, dissolution of carbonate and evaporate minerals) responsible for the hydrochemical variations of the groundwater. Also, it shows that their contributions for the groundwater in different aquifer systems vary considerably. Based on these variations and on step by step analysis, the source aquifer system for the groundwater samples with unknown source has been determined and, similar to the result obtained by the cluster and discriminant analysis. Therefore, EPA Unmix model can be applied for water source identification in coal mine, as it can provide information about water rock interaction and water source identification simultaneously.


2000 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Li

The present paper emphasises concerns of land subsidence or compression of clay confining beds caused by periodic withdrawal and injection of water from or into the adjacent aquifers. An analytical solution for a one-dimensional case based on a sandwich model is found so that analysis of potential risk of aquifer system deformation due to the technology of Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) can be conducted. A governing equation expressed directly in terms of displacement is employed to describe the one-dimensional subsidence. For simplicity, saturated aquifer systems are assumed to behave like poroelastic material. A cyclic loading function with a triangle pattern is assumed at boundaries to simulate effective stress induced by changes in hydraulic head at boundaries. The both compression and swelling of clay due to the periodic and linear loads at the boundaries are considered in this model. The two aquifers (one above the confining bed and the other beneath) can be pumped independently of each other. The results from the analytical solution are applied to estimate and predict potential risk of land subsidence due to ASR activity and to provide a first-estimate type of guideline for city or regional development and management of water resources.


Water SA ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (2 April) ◽  
Author(s):  
T Strydom ◽  
JM Nel ◽  
M Nel ◽  
RM Petersen ◽  
CL Ramjukadh

Environmental isotopes have been used for decades as natural tracers in studies aimed at understanding complex hydrogeological processes such as groundwater and surface water interactions. Radon (Rn222) is a naturally occurring, radioactive isotope which is produced from radium (Ra226) during the radioactive decay series of uranium (U238). Since U238 is present in most geological substrates, Rn222 is produced in various lithological structures and subsequently transported with groundwater through fractures and pore spaces in an aquifer towards surface water discharge points in rivers and springs. This study aimed to determine (i) the concentration of Rn222 within both surface water and groundwater in Table Mountain Group (TMG) aquifer systems, and (ii) the feasibility of using Rn222 isotopes as a natural tracer in groundwater-surface water interaction studies. This study was conducted in a highly fractured TMG aquifer system near Rawsonville, South Africa. Surface water from two perennial rivers (i.e. Gevonden and Molenaars), together with groundwater from a nearby borehole, were sampled and their corresponding Rn222 concentrations measured. Our study found median Rn222 concentrations in the Gevonden River of 76.4 Bq∙L-1 and 67.2 Bq∙L-1 in the dry and wet seasons, respectively. Nearly 12% of surface water samples exceeded 100 Bq∙L-1.  These abnormally high Rn222 concentrations can only be attributed to the influx of groundwater with extremely high Rn222 concentrations. Under ambient (no pumping) conditions, Rn222 concentrations in groundwater range between 130–270 Bq∙L-1. However, when the borehole was pumped, and inflowing water from the surrounding aquifer was sampled, even higher Rn222 concentrations (391–593 Bq∙L-1) were measured. These extremely high Rn222 concentrations in groundwater are believed to be attributed to the underlying granitic geology and the prevalence of faults. The use of Rn222 isotopes as an environmental tracer in groundwater–surface water interaction studies is therefore regarded as a feasible option in similar highly fractured aquifer systems.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 175-184
Author(s):  
Saleh Mustapha Babagana ◽  
Satendra Sharma

Electrical resistivity method using vertical electrical sounding (VES) technique and Schlumberger array was employed with the aim of delineating limits and types of aquifer system(s), and stratigraphic composition of the Demsa area, a confluence of Benue River in Northeast Nigeria. The result revealed that the hydrogeology of the area may be controlled by fractures (secondary porosity) developed in sedimentary units. Two aquifers, namely the upper alluvial aquifer and the confined deeper aquifer systems exist in the study area. The two aquifers occur at depths of 20.5 – 41 m, and 43.8 – 78.9 m respectively, and are separated by a thin layer of poorly permeable clays and silts, ranged between 1.1 – 5.3 m in thickness. The lateral extent of the aquifer systems extend almost evenly across the area. The aquifers’ thickness tends to decrease with increase in distance of VES station from the Benue River which suggested that the aquifer systems are probably recharged by direct escapement of the Benue River.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chloé Meyer

Groundwaters of the Dinaric Karst form some of the world's largest karst aquifer systems. The Dinaric region contains huge amounts of high quality groundwater. It is one of the major contributors of freshwater entering the Adriatic Sea. The Dinaric Karst Aquifer System extends from NE Italy through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro to Albania. Karst formations connected with the Dinaric carbonate chain outcrop also in Serbia, FYR Macedonia, and possibly in NW Greece. In the framework of the DIKTAS GEF-project (2010-2014) executed by UNESCO-IHP, the four DIKTAS project countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro) have agreed to create two mechanisms in order to facilitate enhanced consultation and exchange of information between the governmental entities that are involved in water resources management. Groundwater Karst Transboundary


1977 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-128
Author(s):  
Tage Sørensen ◽  
Hans Ole Hansen

Problems and procedures conserning planning and execution of geohydrological investigations of aquifer systems composed of consolidated sedimentary rocks are discussed. The discussion is illustrated by investigations in an area on the island of Bornholm, Denmark, where the aquifer system is composed of inclined and faulted beds of sand-, silt-and claystone. The investigations includes the following elements:Hydrogeological mapping.Geophysical investigations and well-logging (gamma-, resistivity-, flow- and conductivity-log).Pumping-test Evaluation of hydraulic properties of the aquifers. Construction of mathematical model.Deliniation of infiltration areas and evaluation of potential infiltration. Protection against groundwater-pollution. The paper emphasises the general procedure for engineering geohydrological investigations of consolidated sedimentary rocks and the correlation of the information collected by different methods.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cesar Augusto Moreira ◽  
Alan Carrara ◽  
Lívia Portes Innocente Helene ◽  
Marco Antonio Hansen ◽  
Walter Malagutti Filho ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT. The assessment of contamination caused by improper disposal of solid waste involves integrated analysis of the physical environment, which shall range from the location of the pollutant source, flow paths and accumulation zones. The environmental diagnosis in complex aquifer systems shall clearly define the dimensions of the contaminated area by means of technical options that allow the adequate location of wells for quantification of contents. This work presents the results of the use of Electric Resistivity Tomography (ERT) in the mapping of leachate originated from the decomposition of organic matter contained in clandestinely buried residues. Eight parallel lines were carried out in addition to a reference line, in an area defined from a satellite image history. In the area occurs a geological unit composed of alternating centimetric layers of siltstones and argillites, with lenses of fine sandstone filled by carbonaceous cement, deposited in a shallow marine environment with influence of fluvial sedimentation. The analysis of the 2D inversion models based on the physicochemical characteristics of the leachate allowed the identification of individualized areas of electrical resistivity lower than the natural minimum for the area, which shall reflect zones of origin, flow and accumulation of leachate. 3D models and multilevel electrical resistivity maps generated from the inversion models allowed for the detailing of areas of low resistivity, which reveal areas of independent leachate accumulation, disconnected and at various depths, supported by a suspended aquifer system composed by levels of fine sandstone cemented. Keywords:  contamination, leachate, electrical resistivity, suspended aquifer, 3D modeling. RESUMO. A avaliação de contaminações provocadas pela disposição indevida de resíduos sólidos envolve a análise integrada do meio físico, que deve abranger desde a localização da fonte poluidora, caminhos de fluxo e zonas de acumulação. O diagnóstico ambiental em sistemas aquíferos complexos deve claramente definir as dimensões da área contaminada por meio de opções técnicas que possibilitem a locação adequada de poços para quantificação de teores. Este trabalho apresenta os resultados de uso da tomografia elétrica no mapeamento de chorume proveniente da decomposição de matéria orgânica contida em resíduos enterrados de forma clandestina. Foram realizadas 8 linhas paralelas além de uma linha de referência, em área definida a partir de um histórico de imagens de satélite. Na área ocorre uma unidade geológica constituída por camadas centimétricas alternadas de siltitos e argilitos, com lentes de arenito fino preenchido por cimento carbonático, depositados em ambiente marinho raso com influência de sedimentação fluvial. A análise dos modelos de inversão 2D baseada nas características físico-químicas do chorume, permitiu a identificação de áreas individualizadas de resistividade elétrica inferiores ao mínimo natural para a área, que devem refletir zonas de origem, fluxo e acúmulo de chorume. Modelos 3D e mapas multiníveis de resistividade elétrica gerados a partir dos modelos de inversão, possibilitaram o detalhamento das áreas de baixa resistividade, que revelam zonas de acúmulo de chorume independentes, desconexas e em diversas profundidades, sustentadas por sistema aquífero suspenso constituído por níveis de arenito fino cimentado.Palavras-chave: contaminação, chorume, resistividade elétrica, aquífero suspenso, modelamento 3D.


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