CLEANUP OF FRACTURED ROCK AQUIFERS .2. EFFECTS OF MATRIX DIFFUSION AND NONAQUEOUS PHASE LIQUID

Model calculations are used to explore the effects of the kinetics of diffusion of dissolved organic compounds into and out of low-permeabil ity porous materials and of the rate of solution of nonaqueous phase l iquid (NAPL) droplets (into the aqueous phase) on the rate of cleanup of contaminated aquifers. Two models are presented: (1) the flushing o f organic compounds initially distributed as NAPL droplets in a fractu re in a porous rock aquifer, and (2) the removal of organic compounds initially present as NAPL in an aquifer containing low-permeability po rous clay lenses. NAPL droplet size is found to be of much less import ance than the spacing of the fractures in the porous rock in the first model or the thickness of the clay lenses in the second.