Quantifying acid and trace metal fluxes in aquifers under anthropogenic influence

Citation

Land & Water Australia. 2009. Quantifying acid and trace metal fluxes in aquifers under anthropogenic influence. [Online] (Updated June 23rd, 2009)
Available at: http://lwa.gov.au/node/2962 [Accessed Friday 30th of July 2010 05:57:40 AM ].

Anthropogenic impacts on groundwater sources such as over-pumping, artificial recharge and/or mining can facilitate hydrogeochemical changes in the aquifer that may lead to accumulation/mobilisation of acidity and/or trace metals. To assess the fate of these trace metals and the effectiveness of remediation measures, the interaction between physical, chemical and reactive processes that control the generation and attenuation of acidity and/or trace metals in the aquifer needs to be understood. Contaminant fluxes to potential receptors may be affected by complex flow patterns and reactions that result from the mixing of fresh- and denser saline waters (e.g. saline discharge along the Murray River, artificial recharge of fresh water into saline aquifers) as well as a consequence of tidal forcing at the estuarine/marine water interface. The PhD work will develop numerical models and modelling approaches that allow an improved and detailed quantitative understanding and prediction of coupled variable density flow, solute transport and reaction mechanisms.

Project Objectives

Identification of key processes that control/influence generation, propagation and attenuation of acidity and/or trace metals in contaminated aquifer and formulation of suitable reaction networks.
Development of conceptual models and development or adaptation of a mathematical framework that allows a detailed quantification, understanding and prediction of coupled variable density flow, solute transport and reaction mechanisms
Detailed modelling of the transport and reaction mechanism at a metal contaminated, well characterised field site.
Quantification of anthropogenic impact such as over-pumping, artificial recharge and/or climate change on facilitating hydrochemical changes in the aquifer that may lead to accumulation/mobilisation of acidity and/or trace metals.
Quantification of the effect of variable density flow and tidal forcing on the (chemical) transformation processes, including aqueous and surface complexation, ion-exchange and mineral reactions.