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Quantifying effects of soil heterogeneity on groundwater pollution at four sites in the USA
journal contribution
posted on 2005-01-01, 00:00 authored by S Vuurens, Francesco Stagnitti, G de Rooij, J Boll, L Li, M LeBlanc, Daniel IerodiaconouDaniel Ierodiaconou, Vincent VersaceVincent Versace, Scott SalzmanScott SalzmanFour sites located in the north-eastern region of the United States of America have been chosen to investigate the impacts of soil heterogeneity in the transport of solutes (bromide and chloride) through the vadose zone (the zone in the soil that lies below the root zone and above the permanent saturated groundwater). A recently proposed mathematical model based on the cumulative beta distribution has been deployed to compare and contrast the regions' heterogeneity from multiple sample percolation experiments. Significant differences in patterns of solute leaching were observed even over a small spatial scale, indicating that traditional sampling methods for solute transport, for example the gravity pan or suction Iysimeters, or more recent inventions such as the multiple sample percolation systems may not be effective in estimating solute fluxes in soils when a significant degree of soil heterogeneity is present. Consequently, ignoring soil heterogeneity in solute transport studies will likely result in under- or overprediction of leached fluxes and potentially lead to serious pollution of soils and/or groundwater. The cumulative beta distribution technique is found to be a versatile and simple technique of gaining valuable information regarding soil heterogeneity effects on solute transport. It is also an excellent tool for guiding future decisions of experimental designs particularly in regard to the number of samples within one site and the number of sampling locations between sites required to obtain a representative estimate of field solute or drainage flux.
History
Journal
Science in China series c: life sciencesVolume
48Issue
Supp.1Pagination
118 - 127Publisher
Springer-Verlag GmbHLocation
Heidelberg, GermanyPublisher DOI
ISSN
1006-9305eISSN
1862-2798Language
engPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2005, Science in China PressUsage metrics
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No categories selectedKeywords
solutesdrainagecumulative beta distri butionpollutionheterogeneity indexbromidechlorideleachingScience & TechnologyLife Sciences & BiomedicineBiologyLife Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topicscumulative beta distributionmultiple sample percolation systempreferential flowSANDY VADOSE ZONESOLUTE TRANSPORTMETAL CONTAMINATIONWATERVARIABILITYMECHANISMBEHAVIORMODEL
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