NAPL characterization via partitioning tracer tests: quantifying effects of partitioning nonlinearities

The inherent nonlinearity in the equilibrium interphase distribution of a p artitioning tracer between a NAPL and water affects the manner in which the partitioning tracer moves throughout a region of the subsurface contaminat ed with the NAPL. A semi-analytic solution is developed to describe this be havior. Analysis of a breakthrough curve of the partitioning tracer in such a system using a linear partitioning based model results in systematic ove restimation of the NAPL present in the region swept during the test. (C) 19 99 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.