If spilled in significant quantities, non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs), such as gasoline, coal tar, and chlorinated solvents, will migrate downward through the subsurface. As the NAPL migrates through the soil or rock matrix, a significant fraction becomes 'trapped' due to capillary forces and may form pools above less permeable soil or rock layers. These 'trapped' NAPL globules and pools may partition into the groundwater and/or vapor phases, and serve as ongoing sources of contamination (i.e. source zones). Currently, the presence of NAPL in the subsurface is typically inferred from chemical analysis data. There are no techniques available for the direct observation of NAPLs entrapped inside soil aggregates or core samples. Furthermore, accurate, three-dimensional, and non-destructive NAPL characterization techniques are an important component of studies aimed at improving our understanding of NAPL movement, dissolution, and remediation. / In this study, experiments were conducted to demonstrate the capabilities and limitations of X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) to non-destructively quantify contaminants in soil columns.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.81334 |
| Date | January 2004 |
| Creators | Goldstein, Lucas |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 002187913, proquestno: AAIMR06397, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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