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Spatial and Temporal Changes of Jet Fuel Contamination in an Unconfined Sandy Aquifer

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Abstract

Leakage of jet fuel from an oil skimmer has resulted in soil and groundwater contamination at the fire fighting training site of the Oslo international airport. The site is located on an unconfined sandy aquifer formed by the Gardermoen ice contact delta. A strong relationship between hydrogeological settings and spatial distribution of the hydrocarbons has been observed. Leaching hydrocarbons constitute a source of dissolved BTEX and naphthalene. Concentration of the dissolved hydrocarbons, electron acceptors and metabolic by-products has revealed concomitant changes in space and in time, in response to groundwater fluctuations. Correlation between high concentrations of hydrocarbons, elevated alkalinity and depleted electron acceptors supports the hypothesis that intrinsic bioremediation has been taking place at the site. Naphthalene, however, has been found persistent under anoxic conditions. Calculations of biodegradation potential indicates that Fe(III) reduction, methanogenesis, nitrate and sulphate reduction are the main factors controlling biodegradation.

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Acknowledgements

The first author is deeply grateful to the management and colleagues of the Polish Geological Institute for granting a long study leave in order to complete this research. We all would like to thank Alf Nielsen, Jana Mahačkova, Mufak Naoroz, Kim Rudolf-Lund, Rebecca Worsley and Zouping Zheng for their great help in conducting the field work. Also contribution of Berit Løken Berg, Mufak Naoroz, Turid Winje and Øyvind Kvalvåg to completion of the laboratory analyses is acknowledged. Assistance of the employees of the Gardermoen Airport – Jarl Øvstedal, Stig Moen and Knut Ringheim is acknowledged. The first author would like to thank especially the Donald Kuennen Foundation (the Netherlands) which provided the grants for the scientific books and software.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1047, Blindern, 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, Ullevaal Stadion, 0806, Oslo, Norway

    Gijs D. Breedveld

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  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. Spatial and Temporal Changes of Jet Fuel Contamination in an Unconfined Sandy Aquifer. Water Air Soil Pollut 188, 9–30 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-007-9492-z

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