Geological Society of America

7 Geochemical Influences on Metal Contaminants in Subsurface Systems

Monday, 19 April 2021
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Missouri Geological Survey Room

MASS TRANSPORT OF HALIDE AND BENZOATE TRACERS TO CHARACTERIZE GROUNDWATER VELOCITY, DISPERSIVITY, AND MATRIX DIFFUSION IN A URANIUM-CONTAMINATED AQUIFER

Paper number: 7-3
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 8:25 AM – 8:45 AM

Authors

Kendyl Hoss Presenting Author
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Rakiba Sultana
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Cullen Meurer
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Jiyan Hatami
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Aaron Tigar
Grand Junction, CO
Raymond Johnson
Contractor to the Department of Energy Office of Legacy Management, Grand Junction, CO
Charles Paradis
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI

Abstract

The concentration of uranium in groundwater at a former mill tailings site persists above levels as predicted by a site-wide model. It is hypothesized that the mass transport mechanisms that control the concentration of uranium in groundwater need to be further characterized to better inform a revised site-wide model. To this end, an in-situ tracer test was conducted using chloride and pentafluorobenzoate; the former being a non-reactive tracer to characterize groundwater velocity and dispersivity, the latter being a relatively low-diffusion tracer to elucidate matrix diffusion. A 100-gallon solution of tracer-amended water was injected into a single well and was tracked over several weeks in two down-gradient transects of observation wells. The two-dimensional center of mass of both tracers will be quantified, visualized, and compared across snap shots in time to characterize groundwater velocity, dispersivity, and matrix diffusion. The results of these data will be discussed in terms of better informing a revised site-wide model.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 53, No. 3

doi: 10.1130/abs/2021NC-362907

© Copyright 2021 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.