Benzene dynamics and biodegradation in alluvial aquifers affected by river fluctuations

Assessing the Biodegradation of BTEX and Stress Response in a Bio-Permeable Reactive Barrier Using Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis

By using compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) in combination with high-throughput sequencing analysis (HTS), we successfully evaluated the benzene and toluene biodegradation in a bio-permeable reactive barrier (bio-PRB) and the stress response of the microbial community. Under stress conditions, a greater decline in the biodegradation rate of BTEX was observed compared with the apparent removal rate. Both an increase in the influent concentration and the addition of trichloroethylene (TCE) inhibited benzene biodegradation, while toluene biodegradation was inhibited by TCE. Regarding the stress response, the relative abundance of the dominant bacterial community responsible for the biodegradation of BTEX increased with the influent concentration. However, the dominant bacterial community did not change, and its relative abundance was restored after the influent concentration decreased. On the contrary, the addition of TCE significantly changed the bacterial community, with Aminicenantes becoming the dominant phyla for co-metabolizing TCE and BTEX. Thus, TCE had a more significant influence on the bio-PRB than an increasing influent concentration, although these two stress conditions showed a similar degree of influence on the apparent removal rate of benzene and toluene. The present work not only provides a new method for accurately evaluating the biodegradation performance and microbial community in a bio-PRB, but also expands the application of compound-specific isotope analysis in the biological treatment of wastewater.

Temporal flow variations interact with spatial physical heterogeneity to impact solute transport in managed river corridors

The interactions between surface water and groundwater in river corridors lead to temporal fluctuations in subsurface water fluxes which have a critical role on solute transport dynamics. In this work, we develop a framework to analyze the relative impacts of different temporal frequencies of the flow field in a spatially heterogeneous aquifer on solute transport. Our analysis indicates that the advection-dispersion equation behaves as a low-pass filter by wiping out the effect of high-frequency velocity fluctuations on the first two spatial moments of the solute plume, namely its center of mass and spreading. The concepts discussed in the theoretical analysis are then applied to understand solute transport dynamics at the 300 Area of the Hanford site (USA) adjacent to the Columbia River. We examine the temporal behavior of the solute plume's spatial moments for different temporal frequencies utilizing geostatistical parameters estimated in the 300 Area. Due to the proximity to the Columbia river, groundwater fluxes at the Hanford site are highly dynamic resulting in a large range of characteristic temporal frequencies. Nonetheless, similar to the theoretical analysis, our results show that the effect of high-frequency fluctuations is filtered, with most of the solute transport dynamics being controlled by fluctuations characterized by a large characteristic period.

Monitoring transient groundwater fluxes using the Finite Volume Point Dilution Method

Classic estimates of groundwater fluxes are usually based on the application of Darcy's law, which can lead to large imprecisions in transient groundwater flow cases. There is a need for direct, in situ measurement techniques able to monitor time-variable groundwater fluxes. The investigation presented here demonstrates that the Finite Volume Point Dilution Method (FVPDM) is a promising technique for the continuous monitoring of groundwater fluxes. The experimental configuration consisted of monitoring transient groundwater fluxes generated by a multiple step pumping test, which was undertaken in the alluvial aquifer of the River Meuse, Liège (Belgium). Additionally, two FVPDM tests were simultaneously performed in two piezometers screened at two different depths in the alluvial aquifer. Tracer concentration changes during the FVPDM tests were interpreted as the consequences of Darcy flux changes in the alluvial aquifer, which was related to changes in the applied pumping rate. Piezometric levels were also monitored in piezometers located around the pumping well. The pumping test was interpreted using classical analytical solutions, and the FVPDM tests were interpreted using a new mathematical solution, which allows for calculating changes in Darcy fluxes based on the FVPDM tracer concentration evolution during transient groundwater flow conditions. The experiment demonstrated the FVPDM's ability to monitor, as well as be sensitive to changes in transient groundwater fluxes. The FVPDM interpretation also showed contrasting results between the upper part of the aquifer, which is made of loam and sand and slow groundwater flows prevail, and the lower part of the aquifer, which is made of gravels and pebbles and intense groundwater flows prevail.