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Natural gradient experiment on transport of jet fuel derived hydrocarbons in an unconfined sandy aquifer

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

This paper deals with a field experiment, combining the push–pull and tracer tests, conducted under natural gradient conditions at the international Oslo airport. The studied aquifer, showing very complex hydrogeological settings, has been contaminated by a jet fuel spill. The tracer solutes—bromide, toluene, o-xylene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene and naphthalene, have been injected into the plume. Their migration and changes in concentration of the electron acceptors and metabolic by-products have been monitored. Fast removal of both the non-reactive tracer as well as the aromatic organics has been observed. The tracer pulse could only be detected 2 m downgradient from the injection points. At this point, toluene and o-xylene have been completely removed, however, trimethylbenzenes and naphthalene have been detected. Their depletion, based on calculations of available electron acceptors, can, to a large extent, be accounted for intrinsic biodegradation, with Fe(III) and sulphate reductions as the major controlling processes.

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Acknowledgements

The first author is deeply grateful to the management and colleagues of the Polish Geological Institute for allowing a study leave in order to complete this research. Special thanks are due to the Donald Kuennen Foundation (the Netherlands) which provided the grants for the scientific books and software. The authors would like to thank Øyvind Kvalvåg, Mufak Naoroz and Alf Nielsen for their help with conducting the fieldwork and laboratory analyses. Assistance of the employees of the Gardermoen Airport—Jarl Øvstedal, Stig Moen and Knut Ringheim is acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1047, 0316, Oslo, Norway

    Maciej R. Kłonowski, Gijs D. Breedveld & Per Aagaard

  2. Polish Geological Institute, Lower Silesian Branch, Jaworowa 19, 53-122, Wrocław, Poland

    Maciej R. Kłonowski

  3. Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, P.O. Box 3930, 0806, Oslo, Norway

    Gijs D. Breedveld

Authors
  1. Maciej R. Kłonowski
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  2. Gijs D. Breedveld
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  3. Per Aagaard
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Correspondence to Maciej R. Kłonowski.

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Kłonowski, M.R., Breedveld, G.D. & Aagaard, P. Natural gradient experiment on transport of jet fuel derived hydrocarbons in an unconfined sandy aquifer. Environ Geol 48, 1040–1057 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0042-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-0042-y

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