Forensic misidentification of aroclor sources in fractured bedrock due to "Chromatographic" polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener separation

Scott K. Hansen; Bernard H. Kueper

doi:10.1080/15275922.2010.547547

Forensic misidentification of aroclor sources in fractured bedrock due to "Chromatographic" polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener separation

Scott K. Hansen, Bernard H. Kueper

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The effect of matrix diffusion subject to differential sorption on the potential for Aroclor source identification and quantification in a fractured bedrock environment is examined. Due to sorption, transport is seen to occur at greatly different rates for the various congeners, causing rapid changes in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) plume composition during migration. This article provides a rigorous method for optimally fitting PCB groundwater sample concentrations as a linear combination of known Aroclors. It then demonstrates, via transport simulations in fractured sandstone with realistic properties, that correctly determining the Aroclors comprising a PCB source through optimally "fingerprinting" groundwater samples obtained even a few meters downgradient is not generally possible.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	25-34
Number of pages	10
Journal	Environmental Forensics
Volume	12
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/15275922.2010.547547
State	Published - 1 Jan 2011
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Chemical fingerprinting
Differential sorption
Dnapl
Least squares
Matrix diffusion
Raoult's law
Retardation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Waste Management and Disposal
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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10.1080/15275922.2010.547547

Cite this

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title = "Forensic misidentification of aroclor sources in fractured bedrock due to {"}Chromatographic{"} polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener separation",

abstract = "The effect of matrix diffusion subject to differential sorption on the potential for Aroclor source identification and quantification in a fractured bedrock environment is examined. Due to sorption, transport is seen to occur at greatly different rates for the various congeners, causing rapid changes in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) plume composition during migration. This article provides a rigorous method for optimally fitting PCB groundwater sample concentrations as a linear combination of known Aroclors. It then demonstrates, via transport simulations in fractured sandstone with realistic properties, that correctly determining the Aroclors comprising a PCB source through optimally {"}fingerprinting{"} groundwater samples obtained even a few meters downgradient is not generally possible.",

keywords = "Chemical fingerprinting, Differential sorption, Dnapl, Least squares, Matrix diffusion, Raoult's law, Retardation",

author = "Hansen, {Scott K.} and Kueper, {Bernard H.}",

note = "Funding Information: This research was financially supported by NSERC, Queen{\textquoteright}s University, and the Ontario Government in the form of scholarships to the primary author. The authors are also grateful to Dr. James Rawson of the General Electric Company for productive discussions about PCBs and their fate in the environment.",

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AU - Kueper, Bernard H.

N1 - Funding Information: This research was financially supported by NSERC, Queen’s University, and the Ontario Government in the form of scholarships to the primary author. The authors are also grateful to Dr. James Rawson of the General Electric Company for productive discussions about PCBs and their fate in the environment.

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N2 - The effect of matrix diffusion subject to differential sorption on the potential for Aroclor source identification and quantification in a fractured bedrock environment is examined. Due to sorption, transport is seen to occur at greatly different rates for the various congeners, causing rapid changes in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) plume composition during migration. This article provides a rigorous method for optimally fitting PCB groundwater sample concentrations as a linear combination of known Aroclors. It then demonstrates, via transport simulations in fractured sandstone with realistic properties, that correctly determining the Aroclors comprising a PCB source through optimally "fingerprinting" groundwater samples obtained even a few meters downgradient is not generally possible.

AB - The effect of matrix diffusion subject to differential sorption on the potential for Aroclor source identification and quantification in a fractured bedrock environment is examined. Due to sorption, transport is seen to occur at greatly different rates for the various congeners, causing rapid changes in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) plume composition during migration. This article provides a rigorous method for optimally fitting PCB groundwater sample concentrations as a linear combination of known Aroclors. It then demonstrates, via transport simulations in fractured sandstone with realistic properties, that correctly determining the Aroclors comprising a PCB source through optimally "fingerprinting" groundwater samples obtained even a few meters downgradient is not generally possible.

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Forensic misidentification of aroclor sources in fractured bedrock due to "Chromatographic" polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener separation

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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