Degassing of 3H/3He, CFCs and SF6 by denitrification: Measurements and two-phase transport simulations
article
The production of N2 gas by denitrification may lead to the appearance of a gas phase below the water table prohibiting the conservative transport of tracer gases required for groundwater dating. We used a two-phase flow and transport model (STOMP) to study the reliability of 3H/3He, CFCs and SF6 as groundwater age tracers under agricultural land where denitrification causes degassing. We were able to reproduce the amount of degassing (R2 = 69%), as well as the 3H (R2 = 79%) and 3He* (R2 = 76%) concentrations observed in a 3H/3He data set using simple 2D models. We found that the TDG correction of the 3H/3He age overestimated the control 3He/3He age by 2.1 years, due to the accumulation of 3He* in the gas phase. The total uncertainty of degassed 3H/3He ages of 6 years (± 2 σ) is due to the correction of degassed 3He* using the TDG method, but also due to the travel time in the unsaturated zone and the diffusion of bomb peak 3He*. CFCs appear to be subject to significant degradation in anoxic groundwater and SF6 is highly susceptible to degassing. We conclude that 3H/3He is the most reliable method to date degassed groundwater and that two-phase flow models such as STOMP are useful tools to assist in the interpretation of degassed groundwater age tracer data. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Topics
3H/3HeCFCsDegassingDenitrificationGroundwater datingSF6Two-phase transport modelingAquifersChlorofluorocarbonsDegassingDenitrificationFluid dynamicsGas dynamicsGasesGroundwaterHydrogeologyMultiphase flowNitrificationSulfur hexafluorideTwo phase flowUnderground reservoirsH/HeCFCsGroundwater datingSFTwo-phase transport modelingHeliumCFCdating methoddegassingdenitrificationhydrological modelingmeasurement methodmodelingtracertransport processwater tablechlorofluorocarbonheliumnitrogensulfur hexafluoridetritiumwaterarticlecalibrationchemical modelchemistrycomputer simulationgasisolation and purificationpressuresoilCalibrationChlorofluorocarbonsComputer SimulationGasesHeliumModels, ChemicalNitrogenPressureSoilSulfur HexafluorideTritiumWater
TNO Identifier
241359
ISSN
01697722
Source
Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 103(3-4), pp. 206-218.
Pages
206-218
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