Abstract
Commercial gasolines sold in Brazil are added ethanol from 20 to 24% by volume. This oxygenated additive raises the octane level and reduces carbon monoxide emissions to the atmosphere. Underground storage tanks and gasoline lines are a major potential problem for soil and groundwater contamination. Since ethanol has cosolvent properties that alter the behavior of phase distribution in subsurface, this study compares the existing relationship between apparent and real thicknesses of free phase gasoline and E-20 (80% gasoline and 20% ethanol by volume) found respectively in monitoring wells and porous medium material used in two column experiments. Two cylindrical plexiglass columns were used (100 cm long and 23 cm in internal diameter). The bottom ends were capped using plexiglass plate 0.60 cm thick. A spout-like connection of PVC was fitted near the base of each column as an inlet/outlet. One well screen (100 cm long and 3,5 cm in internal diameter) in white PVC was cut in half lengthwise and attached to the inside walls of columns to be used as monitoring wells. The columns were then filled with 0,088 mm grain size sand (very fine). The apparent thickness of pure gasoline was 2.6 times thicker than the actual thickness in the aquifer while it was only 0.6 thicker for E-20. The interfacial tension of E-20 is 67% lower than that of the pure gasoline, allowing a larger quantity of pores to be accessed, which was reflected in oil saturation 54% greater than that of pure gasoline.
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