Geochemical heterogeneity in a sand and gravel aquifer: Effect of sediment mineralogy and particle size on the sorption of chlorobenzenes

Journal of Contaminant Hydrology
By: , and 

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Abstract

The effect of particle size, mineralogy and sediment organic carbon (SOC) on sorption of tetrachlorobenzene and pentachlorobenzene was evaluated using batch-isotherm experiments on sediment particle-size and mineralogical fractions from a sand and gravel aquifer, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Concentration of SOC and sorption of chlorobenzenes increase with decreasing particle size. For a given particle size, the magnetic fraction has a higher SOC content and sorption capacity than the bulk or non-magnetic fractions. Sorption appears to be controlled by the magnetic minerals, which comprise only 5–25% of the bulk sediment. Although SOC content of the bulk sediment is <0.1%, the observed sorption of chlorobenzenes is consistent with a partition mechanism and is adequately predicted by models relating sorption to the octanol/water partition coefficient of the solute and SOC content. A conceptual model based on preferential association of dissolved organic matter with positively-charged mineral surfaces is proposed to describe micro-scale, intergranular variability in sorption properties of the aquifer sediments.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Geochemical heterogeneity in a sand and gravel aquifer: Effect of sediment mineralogy and particle size on the sorption of chlorobenzenes
Series title Journal of Contaminant Hydrology
DOI 10.1016/0169-7722(92)90049-K
Volume 9
Issue 1-2
Year Published 1992
Language English
Publisher Elsevier
Contributing office(s) Toxic Substances Hydrology Program
Description 20 p.
First page 35
Last page 54
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