Groundwater contamination due to LNAPL hydrocarbons and its remediation using natural fibres

Abstract

The groundwater resources have been contaminated by many sources. Among them, spillages of oil and similar petroleum products into soil now become a collective experience worldwide. Light newlinenon-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPL) constitute a significant category of oil contaminants and are not easily degradable. Once the spilt LNAPL reaches the groundwater source, it becomes a longterm source of contamination and is not easy to remediate. Hence it becomes essential to contain newlinethe spilt LNAPL within vadose zone. A detailed study on how the LNAPLs migrate through subsurface system, consequent to a surface spill or a leakage from storage, is essential for implementing a proper remedial/control measure against groundwater contamination. The current newlinestudy aims to experimentally and numerically investigate the migration of LNAPL in different newlinetypes of porous media. Further, the study assesses how the application of natural sorbent material newline(coir geotextile (CG)) enhances the inherent attenuation characteristics of porous media for controlling the LNAPL migration through the subsurface system. An FEM based tool FEFLOW (Finite Element subsurface FLOW and transport system) is utilised in this study to simulate the newlinemigration of LNAPL through the vadose zone and CG. The modelling concept is first validated newlinewith experimental data and is then used to simulate the field condition. Further, it is used for simulating a case study and also for evaluating the effectiveness of CG in controlling the migration of LNAPL through subsurface system.