ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF GROUNDWATER TABLE FLUCTUATIONS ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF SUBSURFACE CONTAMINATION WITH PETROLEUM PRODUCTS

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This paper describes the actual problem of groundwater contamination with petroleum products and its transformation under the influence of climatic factors. The global experience of studying the influence of groundwater table fluctuations on the transformation of petroleum contamination, in particular, the processes of redistribution of mobile petroleum products, dissolution, evaporation, and biodegradation of hydrocarbon compounds, as well as the difference between the actual thickness of a mobile petroleum product layer in porous media and the apparent thickness of a mobile petroleum product layer in a monitoring well was analyzed, which is important to plan remedial actions. The impact of groundwater table fluctuations on transformation of the petroleum contamination source within the warehouse of fuels and lubricants of the Boryspil airport was studied. As a result of groundwater table fluctuations, kerosene was “smeared” in the vadose zone, which led to an increase in the soil contamination area. During the observation period, a mobile kerosene layer almost disappeared when a groundwater table rose and restored when a groundwater table decreased, while the vadose zone was additionally contaminated since a new capillary zone was formed during each rise ofa groundwater table and kerosene. The long-term amplitude of groundwater table fluctuations was 2.4 m, and apetroleum contamination zone was also within these limits. During the observation period, the largest area of groundwater contamination with dissolved petroleum products was observed at the lowest groundwater table elevations in 2016. The highest concentration of dissolved hydrocarbons in groundwater (75.98 mg/dm3) wasfound within amobile kerosene lens. Beyond the mobile kerosene lens, spreading of groundwater contamination with dissolved hydrocarbons is limited. The analysis of the monitoring data of the petroleum contamination source within the warehouse of fuels and lubricants of the Boryspil airport indicates that at present subsurface contamination with petroleum products is localized, and its further spreading is not expected. It is recommended to continue in the future monitoring of the natural attenuation of subsurface contamination.