| Title: | Soil radon survey to assess NAPL contamination from an ancient spill. Do kerosene vapors affect radon partition ? |
| Author(s): | De Simone G; Lucchetti C; Pompilj F; Galli G; Tuccimei P; Curatolo P; Giorgi R; |
| Address: | "Universita'Roma Tre', Dipartimento di Scienze, Largo San Leonardo Murialdo 1, 00146 Roma, Italy. Electronic address: gabriele.de.simone@fastwebnet.it. Universita'Roma Tre', Dipartimento di Scienze, Largo San Leonardo Murialdo 1, 00146 Roma, Italy. Electronic address: carlo.lucchetti@uniroma3.it. Universita'Roma Tre', Dipartimento di Scienze, Largo San Leonardo Murialdo 1, 00146 Roma, Italy. Electronic address: frappa90@live.it. Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma 1, Via di Vigna Murata 605, 00143, Roma, Italy. Electronic address: gianfranco.galli@ingv.it. Universita'Roma Tre', Dipartimento di Scienze, Largo San Leonardo Murialdo 1, 00146 Roma, Italy. Electronic address: paola.tuccimei@uniroma3.it. Golder Associates, Via Sante Bargellini 4, 00157 Roma, Italy. Electronic address: Pierpaolo_Curatolo@golder.it. Golder Associates, Via Sante Bargellini 4, 00157 Roma, Italy. Electronic address: RGiorgi@golder.it" |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.02.014 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1879-1700 (Electronic) 0265-931X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "A soil radon-deficit survey was carried out in a site polluted with kerosene (Rome, Italy) in winter 2016 to assess the contamination due to the NAPL residual component in the vadose zone and to investigate the role of the vapor plume. Radon is indeed more soluble in the residual NAPL than in air or water, but laboratory experiments demonstrated that it is also preferentially partitioned in the NAPL vapors that transport it and may influence soil radon distribution patterns. Specific experimental configurations were designed and applied to a 31-station grid to test this hypothesis; two RAD7 radon monitors were placed in-series and connected to the top of a hollow probe driven up to 80-cm depth; the first instrument was directly attached to the probe and received humid soil gas, which was counted and then conveyed to the second monitor through a desiccant (drierite) cylinder capturing moisture and eventually the NAPL volatile component plus the radon dissolved in vapors. The values from the two instruments were cross-calibrated through specifically designed laboratory experiments and compared. The results are in agreement within the error range, so the presence of significant NAPL vapors, eventually absorbed by drierite, was ruled out. This is in agreement with low concentrations of soil VOCs. Accordingly, the radon-deficit is ascribed to the residual NAPL in the soil pores, as shown very well also by the obtained maps. Preferential areas of radon-deficit were recognised, as in previous surveys. An average estimate of 21 L (17 Kg) of residual NAPL per cubic meter of terrain is provided on the basis of original calculations, developed from published equations. A comparison with direct determination of total hydrocarbon concentration (23 kg per cubic meter of terrain) is provided" |
| Keywords: | "*Chemical Hazard Release Kerosene/*analysis *Radiation Monitoring Radon/*analysis Soil Pollutants, Radioactive/*analysis Water Pollutants, Chemical/*analysis NAPL contamination NAPL vapors Rad7 Radon deficit Soil radon Volatile organic compounds;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineDe Simone, Gabriele Lucchetti, Carlo Pompilj, Francesca Galli, Gianfranco Tuccimei, Paola Curatolo, Pierpaolo Giorgi, Riccardo eng England 2017/03/02 J Environ Radioact. 2017 May; 171:138-147. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.02.014. Epub 2017 Feb 27" |
