Title: OIL MIGRATION THROUGH UNSATURATED SOILS AND ITS EFFECT ON THE VADOSE ZONE INTERACTIVE PROCESSES (VIP) MODEL OUTPUT
Abstract: A mathematical model called the Vadose Zone Interactive Processes (VIP) model was developed and implemented at Utab State University (USU) for evaluating the fate of hazardous substances in the unsaturated zone of the soil during land treatment of oily wastes. The VIP model, which simulates the concentration profiles of the hazardous compounds in the soil, water, and the air phases, assumes a fixed oily phase. The purpose of this study was to measure oil migration in soil systems m1d to determine its effect on the VIP model output. Experiments were conducted at USU to demonstrate the mobility of an oil through the unsaturated zone of the soil. The oil migration studies were conducted in laboratory scale glass columns. A light petroleum oil :md two types of soil were used for the experiments. The water flow rate through the columns was adjusted to maintain saturated and unsaturated soil conditions. A predetermined quantity of soil and oil mixture was applied to the top of the soil column. The concentration of oil in this mixture varied from 5% to 30% (on a mass basis). The oil present in the mixture migrated down through the column with the aid of the infiltrating water. After water had been flowing through the columns for the desired test times, the column was sectioned and the soil from the various depths was collected and analyzed for moisture and oil contents. The leachate produced was also collected ru1d analyzed for oil content. The experiments demonstrated that oil migrates down significantly through the soil columns. The extent of migration depended on the volume of oil applied and the type of soil. However, the applied oil was completely immobilized in the columns. The VIP model was modified to incorporate oil migration. The modified VIP model can be expected to produce more realistic contaminant concentration profiles during land treatment of oily wastes when compared to that produced by the present version of the VIP model.
Publication Year: 1994
Publication Date: 1994-08-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 1
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