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In the first of this two-paper series, a new model is presented that simulates the effects of a temperature perturbation on the rate of slow desorption as a function of mass remaining. The model assumes slow desorption is controlled by one-dimensional diffusion from a single or many hydrophobic micropores and that the micropores of a geosorbent are defined by a γ distribution of diffusion rate constants. Simulation results indicate that during slow desorption the relative increase in flux upon heating increases with decreasing micropore width. Simulation results also indicate that the relative increase in flux upon heating increases with desorption time when diffusion occurs from successively smaller width micropores with decreasing mass remaining. In paper 2, the model is tested and used to examine micropore geometry in natural and model solids by simulating results from temperature stepped desorption (TSD) experiments.

Results from temperature stepped desorption (TSD) experiments are presented and compared with simulations from the TSD model presented in the first of this two-paper series. TSD columns were filled with a sand, a sediment, a soil, or a silica gel, all at 100% relative humidity. Next, TSD columns were equilibrated with trichloroethene (TCE), initially purged at 30 °C, and then heated to 60 °C after 100, 1000, or 10 000 min of slow desorption. One γ distribution of diffusion rate constants at 30 °C and one γ distribution of diffusion rate constants at 60 °C were used to simulate column results at all three heating times for a single solid. At each heating time, diffusion rate constants of the γ distributions at 30 °C and 60 °C were used to calculated an effective activation energy, Eact,eff. Values of Eact,eff for all solids were between 47 and 94 kJ/mol, on the order of activation energy values found for diffusion in microporous solids. Between 100 and 10 000 min heating times, the value of Eact,eff increa...