Transport and Biological Fate of Toluene in Low‐Permeability Soils

Abstract

AbstractThe effect of simultaneous sorption, diffusion, and biodegradation on the fate and transport of toluene in low‐permeability soil formations was examined. A transport model accounting for vapor and liquid sorption, vapor diffusions, and first‐order biodegradation was developed to describe the movement of volatile solute in unsaturated soils. Modeling studies were followed with laboratory batch and column studies on fine‐grained soil samples obtained from a gasoline‐contaminated site. Batch experiments yielded the sorption and diffusion coefficients for generating theoretical solute transport profiles. Column studies were conducted to examine toluene sorption, diffusion, and biodegradation under aerobic and denitrifying conditions. Results from the column studies indicated that vapor sorption onto the soil was minimal due to the high moisture content of the soil. Comparison of model predictions with experimental results indicated that the SASK model, which is based on the resistivity theory, provided a more accurate prediction of the vapor phase tortuosity than the frequently used Millington‐Quirk equation. Laboratory results of toluene concentration profiles matched well with the model predictions and yielded degradation rates comparable to those obtained in the field. Column studies, examining toluene biodegradation under aerobic and denitrifying conditions in low‐permeability soils, indicated that the presence of excess nitrate in aerobic environments yielded higher solute degradation rates than those observed under exclusively aerobic systems.