Limitations in the use of compound-specific stable isotope analysis to understand the behaviour of a complex BTEX groundwater contamination near Brussels (Belgium) |
| |
| Authors: | Ilse Van Keer Jan Bronders Jeroen Verhack Jan Schwarzbauer Rudy Swennen |
| |
| Institution: | (1) Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium;(2) Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Petroleum and Coal, RWTH Aachen University, Lochnerstrasse 4-20, 52056 Aachen, Germany;(3) Geology, Catholic University Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium |
| |
| Abstract: | The application of compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) was evaluated to characterise a complex groundwater contamination.
For this purpose, δ13C and δ2H analysis of benzenes and alkylated derivatives were used to interpret both the impact of different sources on a contaminant
plume and the presence of degradation processes. The different contaminant sources could be distinguished based on their combined
δ13C–δ2H signature of the benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) dissolved in the groundwater. Despite this source differentiation,
plume characterisation was not possible due to the complex mixing of the respective contaminant plumes. Furthermore, the original
isotope signatures of the sources were not preserved across these plumes. To estimate the level of in situ biodegradation
independently from concentration data, the Rayleigh equation was used. Although current literature identifies the application
of CSIA as very promising in the frame of characterising organic groundwater pollution, this study has indicated that this
approach can be limited with respect to successfully distinguish the different plumes and their relation to the known source
zones. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
