PNNL

Abstract

Experimental determination of contaminant behavior in deep aquifer sediments is challenging because of the cost and difficulty associated with sample collection. On the other hand, parameter values important to contaminant transport (e.g., distribution coefficient) derived from such sediments may be more accurate than those determined by estimation methods. Furthermore, experiments performed with sediments where the contaminants have been in contact with the sediments for decades are more likely to reveal kinetic controls on contaminant transport not as readily revealed in short contact time experiments. We report the first measurements of CCl4 and CHCl3 distribution coefficients in contaminated Hanford sediments with varying physical/chemical properties.