Experimental methodology to assess contaminant diffusion in rock mass

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Geochemistry
• Geophysics

Background:

• Contaminant migration in porous media is crucial for understanding environmental contamination.
• Monitoring contaminant diffusion in rock masses is challenging due to slow processes and difficulty detecting small electrical conductivity (EC) changes with conventional meters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an experimental methodology for monitoring contaminant diffusion in intact and fractured rock masses.
• To assess the utility of an Ultra-Sensitive Devices and Technical Services (USDTS) conductivity meter for real-time contaminant migration tracking.

Main Methods:

• An experimental setup was designed to measure changes in electrical conductivity (EC) of the aqueous phase during contaminant diffusion.
• The developed methodology utilized a USDTS conductivity meter for high-sensitivity measurements.
• Results were validated against data obtained from the ion chromatograph (IC) technique.

Main Results:

• The USDTS conductivity meter effectively monitored contaminant diffusion through porous rock media.
• The experimental methodology demonstrated sensitivity in detecting subtle changes in EC.
• Validation against the ion chromatograph (IC) technique showed good agreement, confirming the reliability of the new method.

Conclusions:

• The proposed methodology offers a valuable tool for online monitoring of contaminant migration in porous and fractured rock.
• The USDTS conductivity meter provides a sensitive and accurate means to study contaminant diffusion processes.
• This approach enhances the understanding of contaminant transport mechanisms in geological formations.