title: Modelling of spatial contaminant probabilities of occurrence of chlorinated hydrocarbons in an urban aquifer.
abstract: In this study, a 3D urban groundwater model is presented which serves for calculation of multispecies contaminant transport in the subsurface on the regional scale. The total model consists of two submodels, the groundwater flow and reactive transport model, and is validated against field data. The model equations are solved applying finite element method. A sensitivity analysis is carried out to perform parameter identification of flow, transport and reaction processes. Coming from the latter, stochastic variation of flow, transport, and reaction input parameters and Monte Carlo simulation are used in calculating probabilities of pollutant occurrence in the domain. These probabilities could be part of determining future spots of contamination and their measure of damages. Application and validation is exemplarily shown for a contaminated site in Braunschweig (Germany), where a vast plume of chlorinated ethenes pollutes the groundwater. With respect to field application, the methods used for modelling reveal feasible and helpful tools to assess natural attenuation (MNA) and the risk that might be reduced by remediation actions.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemical Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Gaußstraße 17, Braunschweig, Germany. t.greis@tu-bs.de
authors.forename: Tillman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Greis
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Helmholz
authors.forename: Hans Matthias
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Schöniger
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haarstrick
mesh_terms: D002947:Cities; D005858:Germany; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry*; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000032:analysis*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D014872:Water Movements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical