A Comparative Assessment of Analytical Fate and Transport Models of Organic Contaminants in Unsaturated Soils

Maria Grazia Stoppiello, Giusy Lofrano, Maurizio Carotenuto, Giacomo Viccione, Claudio Guarnaccia and Leonardo Cascini
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Maria Grazia Stoppiello: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
Giusy Lofrano: Department of Chemical and Biology, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
Maurizio Carotenuto: Department of Chemical and Biology, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
Giacomo Viccione: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
Claudio Guarnaccia: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
Leonardo Cascini: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 7, 1-24

Abstract: Analytical models for the simulation of contaminants’ fate and transport in the unsaturated zone are used in many engineering applications concerning groundwater resource management and risk assessment. As a consequence, several scientific studies dealing with the development and application of analytical solutions have been carried out. Six models have been selected and compared based on common characteristics to identify pros and cons as well as to highlight any difference in the final output. The analyzed models have been clustered into three groups according to the assumptions on contaminant source and physico-chemical mechanisms occurring during the transport. Comparative simulations were carried out with five target contaminants (Benzene, Benzo(a)pyrene, Vinyl Chloride, Trichloroethylene and Aldrin) with different decay’s coefficient, three types of soil (sand, loam and clay) and three different thicknesses of the contaminant source. The calculated concentration at a given depth in the soil for the same contamination scenario varied greatly among the models. A significant variability of the concentrations was shown due to the variation of contaminant and soil characteristics. As a general finding, the more advanced is the model, the lower the predicted concentrations; thus, models that are too simplified could lead to outcomes of some orders of magnitude greater than the advanced one.

Keywords: contaminated sites; analytical fate and transport models; vadose zone; unsaturated flows; leaching; source depletion; soil degradation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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