Transport of organic contaminants in geomembranes under stress

The transport properties of aqueous solutions of benzene, dichloromethane, and trichloroethylene through extended polyvinyl chloride and high-density polyethylene geomembranes are investigated. It is found that extension enha nces the permeation rates of the penetrants through polyvinyl chloride geom embranes, and the opposite effect is found in the case of high-density poly ethylene. This difference in response is attributed to the type of structur al change, which occurred as a result of the extension. The diffusivities o f a mixture of the three organic solvents through the geomembranes are also determined.