title: Influence of soil properties on vapor-phase sorption of trichloroethylene.
abstract: Current practices in health risk assessment from vapor intrusion (VI) using mathematical models are based on assumptions that the subsurface sorption equilibrium is attained. The time required for sorption to reach near-steady-state conditions at sites may take months or years to achieve. This study investigated the vapor phase attenuation of trichloroethylene (TCE) in five soils varying widely in clay and organic matter content using repacked columns. The primary indicators of TCE sorption were vapor retardation rate (Rt), the time required for the TCE vapor to pass through the soil column, and specific volume of retention (VR), and total volume of TCE retained in soil. Results show TCE vapor retardation is mainly due to the rapid partitioning of the compound to SOM. However, the specific volume of retention of clayey soils with secondary mineral particles was higher. Linear regression analyses of the SOM and clay fraction with VR show that a unit increase in clay fraction results in higher sorption of TCE (VR) than the SOM. However, partitioning of TCE vapor was not consistent with the samples' surface areas but was mainly a function of the type of secondary minerals present in soils.
authors.affiliation: Global Center for Environmental Remediation, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; CRC for Contamination Assessment & Remediation of the Environment, Building X (Environmental Sciences Building), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia.
authors.forename: Dawit N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Bekele
authors.affiliation: Global Center for Environmental Remediation, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; CRC for Contamination Assessment & Remediation of the Environment, Building X (Environmental Sciences Building), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia. Electronic address: Ravi.Naidu@newcastle.edu.au.
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naidu
authors.affiliation: Global Center for Environmental Remediation, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; CRC for Contamination Assessment & Remediation of the Environment, Building X (Environmental Sciences Building), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia.
authors.forename: Sreenivasulu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chadalavada
keywords: Sorption; Trichloroethylene; Vapor intrusion model; Volatile organic hydrocarbon