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Analyses of metabolite secretions by field-grown plants remain scarce. We analyzed daidzein secretion by field-grown soybean. Daidzein secretion was higher during early vegetative stages than reproductive stages, a trend that was also seen for hydroponically grown soybean. Daidzein secretion was up to 10 000-fold higher under field conditions than hydroponic conditions, leading to a more accurate simulation of rhizosphere daidzein content.

Microbial community structure reflects the surrounding natural environment and changes to that environment. Although the subsurface at 5–100 m depth is important for human activities and there are ...

An understanding of nanobubble (NB) migration in porous media is needed for potential environmental applications. The solution chemistry is well known to be a critical factor in determining interactions of other colloids and nanoparticles with surfaces. However, little quantitative research has examined the influence of solution chemistry on NB transport. One-dimensional column experiments were therefore conducted to investigate the transport, retention, and release of NBs in glass beads under different solution chemistry conditions. NB concentrations in the effluent were reduced with an increase in ionic strength (IS) or a decrease in pH due to a reduction in the repulsive force between the glass surface and NBs, especially when the solution contained Ca2+ as compared to Na+ and for larger NBs. This result was somewhat surprising because electrostatic and van der Waals interactions for NBs were both repulsive on a homogeneous glass bead surface. NB retention on the surface was explained by ubiquitous nan...

Nanobubbles have recently attracted much interest for their practical use and potential applications in environmental issues. The pre-existence of deposited colloidal particles in porous media commonly occurs when nanobubbles applied to porous media interact with deposited colloidal particles. However, the current understanding of the effect of the interactions with pre-deposited colloidal particles on nanobubble transport in saturated porous media remains incomplete, and the effects are often overlooked. Therefore, we performed 1D column experiments with sequential injections of colloidal and nanobubble suspensions to study the effect of pre-deposited materials on the retention and release of colloids and nanobubbles in packed glass beads. In this study, we used resonant mass measurements to measure the number concentrations of colloids and nanobubbles during transport experiments for the first time to distinguish between coexisting solid colloidal particles and nanobubbles with different buoyancies in mixed effluent during transport. The nanobubble retention increased because of the pre-existence of deposited colloidal particles, indicating that the deposited colloidal particles act as additional deposition sites and physical obstacles for nanobubbles through physicochemical (including hydrophobic) interactions. This study also provides a future reference for the applicability of resonant mass measurement to cotransport experiments of different buoyant particles, including colloids, nanobubbles, and oil droplets.

After the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan, the migration of radioactive cesium (Cs) in soils has become a crucial issue since this can negatively affect human health and the surrounding environment. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) may have different influences on Cs migration in soils depending on Cs adsorption sites with different selectivity. It is unclear how DOM affects the rapid migration of Cs in soils under flowing water conditions during rainfall events. This study evaluated the effects of DOM on Cs migration in weathered granite soil depending on Cs adsorption sites by conducting laboratory experiments under different DOM conditions and Cs concentrations in the liquid phase. Cs concentration can affect the fraction of Cs adsorbed onto differently selective sites, and DOM can have different influences on Cs migration in the soil accordingly. Under condition of high-Cs concentration, the DOM adsorbed on the soil reduced Cs migration due to increasing Cs electrostatic adsorption to less selective sites in the soil. Meanwhile, under low-Cs concentration, the DOM adsorbed on the soil enhanced Cs migration because the DOM on the soil decreased the Cs adsorption to highly selective sites. Furthermore, DOM in the liquid phase detached the Cs adsorbed on the less selective sites and enhanced Cs migration in the soil, regardless of the Cs concentration.

International audience; Groundwater is essential for the Earth biosphere but is often contaminated by harmful chemical compounds due to both anthropogenic and natural causes. A key factor controlling the fate of harmful chemicals in groundwater is the reduction/oxidation (redox) conditions. The formation factors for the groundwater redox conditions are insufficiently understood. In this study, long-term groundwater quality beneath one of the world megacities was monitored and evaluated. We measured and compared hydrogeochemical conditions including groundwater quality (35 chemical parameters) and redox conditions of five aquifers in the Arakawa Lowland and Musashino Upland, southern Kanto Plain of the Tokyo Metropolitan area, Japan. Monitoring results suggested the following: The main origin of groundwater is precipitation in both the Lowland and Upland areas. The three aquifers in the Arakawa Lowland are likely fully separated, with one unconfined and two confined aquifers under iron reducing and methanogenic conditions, respectively. Oppositely, in the Musashino Upland, the water masses in the two aquifers are likely partly connected, under aerobic conditions, and undergoing the same groundwater recharge and flow processes under similar hydrogeological conditions. The different groundwater redox conditions observed are likely caused by the very different groundwater residence times for the Arakawa Lowland and Musashino Upland.

Along with the increase of autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) production, the amount of scrap waste (industrial by-products) is increasing. AAC waste, however, is not yet being fully reused ...

An understanding of nano-scale bubble (NB) transport in porous media is important for potential application of NBs in soil/groundwater remediation. It is expected that the solution chemistry of NB water highly influences the surface characteristics of NBs and porous media and the interaction between them, thus affecting the stability and transport characteristics of NB. In this study, in addition to stability experiments, one-dimensional column transport experiments using glass beads were conducted to investigate the effects of pH on the NB transport behavior. The results showed that the NBs were more stable under higher pH. Column transport experiments revealed that entrapment of NBs, especially larger ones, was enhanced in lower-pH water, likely suggesting pH-dependent NB attachment and physical straining, both of which are also probably influenced by bubble size. Although relatively smaller NBs were released after switching the eluting fluid to one with lower ionic strength, most of the NBs in lower-pH water were still retained in the porous media even altering the chemical condition.

Thermal dispersion, caused by fluid velocity and temperature fluctuations in the pore space and the effects of hydrodynamic mixing on the temperature field, controls convective heat transport in saturated porous media. While the thermal dispersion coefficient, a governing parameter in the thermal equilibrium model (TEM), has been investigated for natural systems, the dependence of the thermal dispersion coefficient on particle size remains undetermined. Previous research found that the relationship between the thermal dispersion coefficient and flow velocity follows a power law and that there may be a temperature difference between the solid and fluid phase (thermal non-equilibrium). However, experiments are limited to discrete particle sizes and comparison of the dispersion-velocity relationship is impeded by different experimental approaches. We conducted a series of separate heat and solute transport experiments in a column filled with uniform porous media consisting of different sized glass spheres for a range of flow velocities. The thermal and solute dispersion coefficients obtained from experimental measurements were correlated with flow velocities through the thermal or solute Peclet number. Our results demonstrate that, while solute dispersion is independent of particle size, the dependence of the TEM based thermal dispersion coefficient on flow rates is influenced by the particle size. This is caused by the fact that, unlike solute transport, heat exchanges between fluid and particles and that this induces thermal non-equilibrium between both phases. The results have significant implications for quantifying forced convective heat transport in natural porous media because thermal non-equilibrium between the phases is not considered. The porous media particle size must be considered when selecting appropriate values for the thermal dispersion coefficient.

It is important to understand the migration of Cesium (Cs) in soils, particularly after the nuclear power plant accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi, Japan. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is one of factors affecting the migration of Cs in soils under flowing water conditions. We investigated the effect of DOM on the migration of Cs adsorbed to the clay planar site via laboratory column experiments. The sequence of DOM application had a significant influence on Cs transport in the soil. When DOM was applied concurrently with or prior to Cs application, the DOM adsorbed on to the clay planar site adsorbed onto the soil solid surface and enhanced Cs adsorption; consequently, it slowed Cs migration in the soil. In particular, in the case of DOM loaded prior to the application of Cs solution, a noticeable delay in Cs migration was observed. On the other hand, when DOM was applied to the soil where the Cs solution had been previously applied, the DOM desorbed Cs from the soil. DOM in liquid phase enhanced the migration of Cs through the formation of binding to organic matter. Majority of Cs affected by DOM was the exchangeable fraction that adsorbed to the clay planar site. In other words, DOM attached to the soil would adsorb Cs as a easily exchangeable form and depress migration of Cs. On the other hand, DOM in the soil solution may up take adsorbed Cs from the soil and enhanced the transport in the form of Cs bound to DOM.

Mass transport in soil occurs through the soil pore network, which is highly influenced by pore structural parameters such as pore-size distribution, porosity, pore tortuosity, and coordination number. In this study, we visualised the networks of meso- and macro-pores (typical pore radius r ≥ 10 μm) using microfocus X-ray computed tomography (MFXCT) and evaluated pore structural parameters of two loamy soils from Japan and New Zealand packed at different degrees of compaction. The effect of compaction on pore structural parameters and relationships between pore structural parameters and measured mass transport parameters were examined. Results showed a clear influence of compaction on pore structural parameters, with the MFXCT-derived mean pore radii and pore tortuosities decreasing and the mean pore coordination number increasing with increasing dry bulk density. Especially, pores with r > 80 µm became finer or were not well formed due to compaction. The MFXCT-derived pore structural parameters were not well correlated with the equivalent pore radii from measured water retention curves. However, volumetric surface areas and pore-network connectivity-tortuosity factors derived from MFXCT allowed a fair prediction of several important mass transport parameters such as saturated hydraulic conductivities, soil-gas diffusion coefficients, and soil-air permeabilities. Further studies are needed to link micro-pores with radii smaller than the X-ray CT resolution to meso- and macro-pores visualised by X-ray CT to improve the prediction of mass transport parameters in soil.

Radioactive materials, primarily radiocesium (134Cs + 137Cs), were released into the environment by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011. The percentage of soybean plants that had a concentration of radiocesium over 100 Bq/kg was higher than that of other crops. To examine the reason why the concentration of radiocesium in soybeans was high, its concentration and distribution in seeds were analyzed and compared to rice.

Understanding gas transport in porous media and its mechanism has broad applications in various research areas, such as carbon sequestration in deep saline aquifers and gas explorations in reservoir rocks. Gas transport is mainly controlled by pore space geometrical and morphological characteristics. In this study, we apply a physically-based model developed using concepts from percolation theory (PT) and the effective-medium approximation (EMA) to better understand diffusion and permeability of gas in packings of angular and rounded sand grains as well as glass beads. Two average sizes of grain i.e., 0.3 and 0.5 mm were used to pack sands in a column of 6 cm height and 4.9 cm diameter so that the total porosity of all packs was near 0.4. Water content, gas-filled porosity (also known as gas content), gas diffusion, and gas permeability were measured at different capillary pressures. The X-ray computed tomography method and the 3DMA-Rock software package were applied to determine the average pore coordination number z . Results showed that both saturation-dependent diffusion and permeability of gas showed almost linear behavior at higher gas-filled porosities, while deviated substantially from linear scaling at lower gas saturations. Comparing the theory with the diffusion and permeability experiments showed that the determined value of z ranged between 2.8 and 5.3, not greatly different from X-ray computed tomography results. The obtained results clearly indicate that the effect of the pore-throat size distribution on gas diffusion and permeability was minimal in these sand and glass bead packs.

Summary Gas and water transport in peat soil are of increasing interest because of their potentially large environmental and climatic effects under different types of land use. In this research, the water retention curve (WRC), gas diffusion coefficient (Dg) and air and water permeabilities (ka and kw) of layers in peat soil from two profiles were measured under different moisture conditions. A two-region Archie's Law (2RAL)-type model was applied successfully to the four properties; the reference point was taken at −9.8 kPa of soil-water matric potential where volume shrinkage typically started to occur. For WRC in the very decomposed peat soil, the 2RAL saturation exponents (n) obtained for both the wetter (nw) and drier regions (nd) were smaller than those for the less decomposed peat. For Dg, the saturation exponent in the wetter region was larger than that in the drier one for all layers, which indicated enhanced blocking effects of water on gas diffusion in the wetter region. For the peat layers within each soil, there was a linear relation between saturation exponents in the drier region for ka and Dg. The larger saturation exponent of the wetter region for kw in peat than in sand suggests a need for specific hydraulic functions for peat soil. The 2RAL model for Dg agreed well with measured data, and performed better than existing unimodal models. To facilitate use of the 2RAL for Dg, we developed a simple predictive expression for Dg at the reference point. The pore-network tortuosity factor and equivalent pore diameter for gas transport confirmed very different pore structure and mass transport behaviour for peat soil and uniform sand.

Landfill sites are significant sources of methane gas globally. Understanding the temporal variabilities of methane emissions from landfill sites is necessary for estimating such emissions. In this study, an automated monitoring system was used to monitor methane emission flux and concentration on daily and hourly time scales at a landfill site. Measured methane emission fluxes were almost negligible in the studied area. However, methane concentration at landfill surface at nighttime was significantly higher than those in the daytime, which demonstrates the importance of investigating methane emissions at an hourly time scale, including during nighttime. The daily and hourly variations in methane concentration were well correlated with either soil temperature or volumetric water content near the surface. The obtained relations indicate that the automated monitoring system measurements can facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of the methane emission mechanisms at different time scales.

Underground developments such as subways and shopping facilities have been increasing in number and magnitude in the relatively shallow subsurface of many urban areas where the earth materials commonly are composed of marine sediments. Marine sediments can contain significant amounts of toxic trace elements such as arsenic, boron, and lead. Changes in the subsurface environment caused by excavation and construction in underground developments could potentially cause these toxic elements to be dissolved into pore water of the sediments, which might lead to groundwater pollution. The purpose of this study is to investigate correlations among chemical properties of marine sediments, such as pH and electrical conductivity (EC), concentrations of toxic trace elements, and stratigraphic characteristics of the sediments. We selected three sites with different stratigraphic settings in the southern Kanto Plain around the Tokyo Metropolis. We collected core samples from shallow strata at a site in the Arakawa Lowland, southern Saitama, and at two sites in the Musashino Upland, Middle Tokyo. All sites have both marine and non-marine sediments up to 50–60 m in thickness. We determined trace element concentrations in the pore water, pH, EC, and loss on ignition. The results show that (1) the marine sediments tend to have low pH, high EC, and high sulfur concentration compared to the non-marine sediments (2) the concentration of most of the soluble heavy metals vary depending on the concentration of sulfate, the pH, and the formation processes of the strata, (3) the arsenic concentration is not related to sulfur concentration but apparently to Fe and Al concentrations, (4) the boron concentration is not related to any other properties implying that the boron level is independent of and cannot be predicted by common chemical properties, and (5) for all three sites, concentrations of most of the trace elements, EC, pH, and sulfate concentration were correlated with each other. This study shows that the concentration and potential mobilization of many toxic trace elements in marine sediments could be predicted by easily measurable pore water chemical properties such as pH and EC. This could be useful for predicting and avoiding the risk of groundwater pollution during underground development projects.

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, the vertical distribution of radiocesium in soil has been investigated to better understand the behavior of radiocesium in the environment. The typical method used for measuring the vertical distribution of radiocesium is troublesome because it requires collection and measurement of the activity of soil samples. In this study, we established a method of estimating the vertical distribution of radiocesium by focusing on the characteristics of gamma-ray spectra obtained via aerial radiation monitoring using an unmanned helicopter. The estimates are based on actual measurement data collected at an extended farm. In this method, the change in the ratio of direct gamma rays to scattered gamma rays at various depths in the soil was utilized to quantify the vertical distribution of radiocesium. The results show a positive correlation between the abovementioned and the actual vertical distributions of radiocesium measured in the soil samples. A vertical distribution map was created on the basis of this ratio using a simple equation derived from the abovementioned correlation. This technique can provide a novel approach for effective selection of high-priority areas that require decontamination.

Transport of microbubbles and nanobubbles (MNBs) in porous media has drawn increasing attention as a promising technology for soil and groundwater remediation. Understanding the transport mechanisms of MNBs in soils is essential to optimize MNB-based remediation techniques. In this study, effects of flow rates and bubble gas species on transport characteristics of MNBs were investigated in columns packed with glass beads. Microbubbles and nanobubbles were created by either air or oxygen injection to the columns at different flow rates. All results showed marked entrapment of MNBs inside the columns and relatively higher retardation of MNBs with smaller bubble size. The entrapment was enhanced for air-based MNBs under lower flow rate. A convection-dispersion model including bubble attachment could well capture the obtained effluent curves for MNB transport at high flow conditions. For low flow conditions, a model including bubble attachment-detachment and straining terms best described the data. The fitted model parameters suggested that irreversible straining is an important deposition mechanism for MNB transport in porous media.

Isoflavones play important roles in rhizosphere plant-microbe interactions. Daidzein and genistein secreted by soybean roots induce the symbiotic interaction with rhizobia and may modulate rhizosphere interactions with microbes. Yet despite their important roles, little is known about the biosynthesis, secretion and fate of isoflavones in field-grown soybeans. Here, we analyzed isoflavone contents and the expression of isoflavone biosynthesis genes in field-grown soybeans. In roots, isoflavone contents and composition did not change with crop growth, but the expression of UGT4, an isoflavone-specific 7-O-glucosyltransferase, and of ICHG (isoflavone conjugates hydrolyzing beta-glucosidase) was decreased during the reproductive stages. Isoflavone contents were higher in rhizosphere soil than in bulk soil during both vegetative and reproductive stages, and were comparable in the rhizosphere soil between these two stages. We analyzed the degradation dynamics of daidzein and its glucosides to develop a model for predicting rhizosphere isoflavone contents from the amount of isoflavones secreted in hydroponic culture. Conjugates of daidzein were degraded much faster than daidzein, with degradation rate constants of 8.51 d-1 for malonyldaidzin and 11.6 d-1 for daidzin, vs. 9.15 × 10-2 d-1 for daidzein. The model suggested that secretion of isoflavones into the rhizosphere is higher during vegetative stages than during reproductive stages in field-grown soybean.

The impact of biodiversity loss on soil functions is well established via laboratory experiments that generally consider soil biota groups in isolation from each other, a condition rarely present in field soils. As a result, our knowledge about anthropogenic-induced changes in biodiversity and associated soil functions is limited. We quantified an array of soil biological constituents (plants, earthworms, nematodes, bacteria, and fungi) to explore their interactions and to characterize their influence on various soil functions (habitat for soil organisms, air and water regulation, and recycling of nutrients and organic waste) along a legacy Cu pollution gradient. Increasing Cu concentrations had a detrimental impact on both plant growth and species richness. Belowground soil biota showed similar responses, with their sensitivity to elevated Cu concentrations decreasing in the order: earthworms > bacteria > nematodes > fungi. The observed loss of soil biota adversely affected natural soil bioturbation, aggregate formation and stabilization, and decomposition and mineralization processes and therefore resulted in compacted soil with narrow pore size distributions and overall smaller pores, restricted air and water storage and flow, and impeded C, N, and P cycling. The simultaneous evolution of soil biodiversity and functions along the Cu gradient emphasized the key role of soil life in controlling ecosystem services. Furthermore, results indicated that different soil biodiversity and functional indicators started to decline (10% loss) within a Cu concentration range of 110 to 800 mg total Cu kg-1. © Soil Science Society of America, 5585 Guilford Rd.

The subsurface of the Earth is facing evermore thermal impact due to global warming, urban heat islands, and the widespread use of ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems. This potentially causes changes in its physical, mechanical, microbiological, and chemical properties, and in the subsurface water quality. To predict and evaluate this thermal impact (or thermal pollution), a better understanding and improved models for the thermal properties governing heat transport in subsurface sediments are needed. Also, data acquisition in high spatial resolution for the thermal properties and basic physical properties of the subsurface sediments are essential. In this study, the main thermal properties (the thermal conductivity, heat capacity, and thermal diffusivity) together with the basic physical properties (the soil texture, water content, and dry bulk density) were measured on boring core samples representing depths from 0 to 50 or 80 m, at three study sites in the Kanto area of Japan. Based on the measured data, models for thermal conductivity as functions of gravimetric water content, dry bulk density, and volumetric sand content were developed. The new models performed markedly better than presently available models from the literature and, in combination with a modified de Vries type model for heat capacity, the resulting model for thermal diffusivity was capable of describing the measured data well. The usefulness of the newly developed models were validated and illustrated by using data from a two-day thermal response test (TRT) performed at one of the three study sites. The new predictive models for the thermal properties used in a numerical heat transport simulation accurately predicted subsurface (5–50 m) temperature changes during the TRT.

Plant cell wall polysaccharides undergo a slower degradation process in deep subsoil layers than in topsoil. Through the identification of organic compounds in subsoil, we may gain an understanding of this degradation process. In the present study, we extracted alkali-soluble polysaccharides from subsoil bore samples at depths of 5, 18, 29, 35 and 40–43 m, and performed sugar composition and sugar linkage analyses. Based on the results, we suggest that cellulose, arabinoxylan, mannan and pectic polysaccharides derived from plant cell walls and β-1,3-glucan and/or β-1,3:1,6-glucan from fungal cell walls exist in deep subsoil layers.

The soil-gas diffusion is a primary driver of transport, reactions, emissions, and uptake of vadose zone gases, including oxygen, greenhouse gases, fumigants, and spilled volatile organics. The soil-gas diffusion coefficient, D p , depends not only on soil moisture content, texture, and compaction but also on the local-scale variability of these. Different predictive models have been developed to estimate D p in intact and repacked soil, but clear guidelines for model choice at a given soil state are lacking. In this study, the water-induced linear reduction (WLR) model for repacked soil is made adaptive for different soil structure conditions (repacked, intact) by introducing a media complexity factor ( C m ) in the dry media term of the model. With C m = 1, the new structure-dependent WLR (SWLR) model accurately predicted soil-gas diffusivity ( D p / D o , where D o is the gas diffusion coefficient in free air) in repacked soils containing between 0 and 54% clay. With C m = 2.1, the SWLR model on average gave excellent predictions for 290 intact soils, performing well across soil depths, textures, and compactions (dry bulk densities). The SWLR model generally outperformed similar, simple D p / D o models also depending solely on total and air-filled porosity. With C m = 3, the SWLR performed well as a lower-limit D p / D o model, which is useful in terms of predicting critical air-filled porosity for adequate soil aeration. Because the SWLR model distinguishes between and well represents both repacked and intact soil conditions, this model is recommended for use in simulations of gas diffusion and fate in the soil vadose zone, for example, as a key element in developing more accurate climate change models.

Gas transport parameters and X-ray computed tomography (CT) measurements in porous medium under controlled and identical conditions provide a useful methodology for studying the relationships among them, ultimately leading to a better understanding of subsurface gaseous transport and other soil physical processes. The objective of this study was to characterize the relationships between gas transport parameters and soil-pore geometry revealed by X-ray CT. Sands of different shapes with a mean particle diameter (d50) ranging from 0.19 to 1.51 mm were used as porous media under both air-dried and partially saturated conditions. Gas transport parameters including gas dispersivity (α), diffusivity (DP/D0), and permeability (ka) were measured using a unified measurement system (UMS). The 3DMA-Rock computational package was used for analysis of three-dimensional CT data. A strong linear relationship was found between α and tortuosity calculated from gas transport parameters (Equation (Uncited) Image Tools), indicating that gas dispersivity has a linear and inverse relationship with gas diffusivity. A linear relationship was also found between ka and d50/TUMS2, indicating a strong dependency of ka on mean particle size and direct correlation with gas diffusivity. Tortuosity (TMFX) and equivalent pore diameter (deq.MFX) analyzed from microfocus X-ray CT increased linearly with increasing d50 for both Granusil and Accusand and further showing no effect of particle shape. The TUMS values showed reasonably good agreement with TMFX values. The ka showed a strong relationship when plotted against deq.MFX/TMFX2, indicating its strong dependency on pore size distribution and tortuosity of pore space.

Effects of soil temperature on the solute diffusion process in soils are important since subsurface temperature variation affects solute transport such as a fertilizer movement, leaching of salt, and pollutant movement to groundwater aquifers. However, the temperature dependency on the solute diffusion process in soils has been poorly understood and rarely documented. In this study, solute diffusion experiments as well as equilibrium adsorption experiments using pure kaolin clay were conducted under different temperature conditions. The experiments of K+ adsorption on kaolin clay showed more enhanced adsorption of K+ at elevated temperature likely because surface charge characteristics were affected at different temperature conditions for the kaolin clay. The temperature dependent solute diffusion showed that the solute diffusion coefficient at 40 °C was around two times higher than that at 6 °C for Cl− and K+. Overall, Arrhenius equation describing temperature dependent solute diffusion was applicable for both ions in samples at different bulk densities. At 40 °C, the liquid-phase impedance factor decreased, while liquid-phase pore-network tortuosity increased, suggesting changes in chemical surface activity towards the solute or pore structure changes of the clay fabric at the elevated temperature.

Mass transport in soils occurs through pore networks that are highly affected by basic physical properties such as the degree of compaction, and particle size and shape. In this study, micro-focus X-ray computed tomography (CT) was used to obtain information on the pore network structure at different compaction levels for repacked columns of sands and glass beads representing different size fractions and particle shapes. Mass transport parameters, including gas diffusion coefficient (D p) and air permeability (k a) at variably saturated conditions, were measured on the same columns using standard methods, and literature data on saturated hydraulic conductivity (K sat) for the same materials were analyzed. A comparison of X-ray CT derived pore network structure and physical parameters showed that the round sands and glass beads exhibited larger pores, a higher pore coordination number, and a lower volumetric surface area than that of angular sands at the same particle size, resulting in higher K sat as well as higher D p and k a under relatively dry conditions. The X-ray CT derived the mean pore diameter (d), and the pore coordination number (C n) for each material correlated well with key gas transport properties such as percolation thresholds and pore network connectivity. A predictive D p model from wet to dry conditions based fully on X-ray CT derived parameters (d and C n) was developed and showed good agreement with measured D p for both round and angular sands.

Global warming and urbanization together with development of subsurface infrastructures (e.g. subways, shopping complexes, sewage systems, and Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) systems) will likely cause a rapid increase in the temperature of relatively shallow groundwater reservoirs (subsurface thermal pollution). However, potential effects of a subsurface temperature change on groundwater quality due to changed physical, chemical, and microbial processes have received little attention. We therefore investigated changes in 34 groundwater quality parameters during a 13-month enhanced-heating period, followed by 14 months of natural or enhanced cooling in a confined marine aquifer at around 17 m depth on the Saitama University campus, Japan. A full-scale GSHP test facility consisting of a 50 m deep U-tube for circulating the heat-carrying fluid and four monitoring wells at 1, 2, 5, and 10 m from the U-tube were installed, and groundwater quality was monitored every 1-2 weeks. Rapid changes in the groundwater level in the area, especially during the summer, prevented accurate analyses of temperature effects using a single-well time series. Instead, Dual-Well Analysis (DWA) was applied, comparing variations in subsurface temperature and groundwater chemical concentrations between the thermally-disturbed well and a non-affected reference well. Using the 1 m distant well (temperature increase up to 7 °C) and the 10 m distant well (non-temperature-affected), the DWA showed an approximately linear relationships for eight components (B, Si, Li, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), Mg(2+), NH4(+), Na(+), and K(+)) during the combined 27 months of heating and cooling, suggesting changes in concentration between 4% and 31% for a temperature change of 7 °C.

The gas diffusion coefficient (D-s,D-g) and solute diffusion coefficient (D-s,D-l) and their dependencies on fluid content (kappa) (equal to soil-air content theta for D-s,D-g and soil-water content epsilon for D-s,D-l) are controlling factors for gas and solute transport in variably saturated soils. In this study, we propose unified, predictive models for D-s,D-g(epsilon) and D-s,D-l(theta) based on modifying and extending the classical Maxwell model at fluid saturation with a fluid-induced reduction term including a percolation threshold (epsilon(th) for D-s,D-g and theta(th) for D-s,D-l). Different percolation threshold terms adopted from recent studies for gas (D-s,D-g) and solute (D-s,D-l) diffusion were applied. For gas diffusion, epsilon(th) was a function of bulk density (total porosity), while for solute diffusion theta(th) was best described by volumetric content of finer soil particles (clay and organic matter), FINESvol. The resulting LIquid and GAs diffusivity and tortuosity (LIGA) models were tested against D-s,D-g and D-s,D-l data for differently-textured soils and performed well against the measured data across soil types. A sensitivity analysis using the new Maxwell's Law based LIGA models implied that the liquid phase but not the gaseous-phase tortuosity was controlled by soil type. The analyses also suggested very different pathways and fluid-phase connectivity for gas and solute diffusion in unsaturated soil

Subsurface gaseous-phase transport is governed by three gas transportparameters: the air permeability coefficient (ka), gas diffusion coefficient(DP), and gas dispersion coefficient (DH). Among these, DH is the leastunderstood due to hitherto limited research into the relationship betweengas dispersion and soil physical characteristics. In this study, a series ofadvection–dispersion experiments was performed on granular porous mediato identify the effects of soil column dimensions (length and diameter),particle size and shape, dry bulk density, and moisture content on themagnitude of gas dispersion. Glass beads and various sands of differentshapes (angular and rounded) with mean particle diameters (d50) rangingfrom 0.19 to 1.51 mm at both air-dry and variable moisture contentswere used as granular porous media. Gas dispersion coefficients and gasdispersivities (a = DH/v, where v is the pore-gas velocity) were determinedby fitting the advection–dispersion equation to the measured breakthroughcurves. For all test conditions, DH increased linearly with v. The test resultsshowed that neither soil column length nor diameter had significant effecton gas dispersivity. Under air-dry conditions, higher gas dispersivities wereobserved for media with wider particle size distribution and higher dry bulkdensity. The minor effect of particle shape on gas dispersivity was foundunder both air-dry and wet conditions. Under wet conditions, the variationsin gas dispersivity were mainly controlled by the air-filled porosity. Anempirical model was also proposed for the prediction of gas dispersivity ingranular, unsaturated porous media.

Gas exchange through the compacted final cover soil at landfill sites plays a vital role for emission, fate, and transport of toxic landfill gases. This study involved measuring the soil-gas diffusivity (D /D , the ratio of gas diffusion coefficients in soil and free air) and air permeability (k ) for differently compacted soil samples (reddish-brown soil) from the final cover at the Maharagama landfill in Sri Lanka. The samples were prepared by either standard Proctor compaction or hand compaction to dry bulk densities of 1.60-1.94 g cm . Existing and modified models for predicting D /D and k were tested against the measured data. The simple, single-parameter Buckingham model predicted measured D /D values across compaction levels equally well or better than a dry bulk density (DBD) dependent model and a soil-water retention (SWR) dependent model. The measured k values for differently compacted samples were highly affected by the compaction level and the sample moisture preparation method. Also, for air permeability, a single-parameter Buckingham-type k model was most accurate in predicting k in the differently compacted soil samples. Equivalent air-filled pore diameters (the effective diameter of the drained pores active in leading air through the sample) for gas flow, d , were calculated from the measured D /D and k values. The d increased with compaction level, suggesting that a very high compaction level creates well-connected macropores in the reduced total pore space of the cover soil. This is an important consideration when designing cover soils for optimally low water and high oxygen exchange while minimizing climate and toxic gas emissions from the waste layer to the atmosphere.