Retention characteristics of fluorocarbon tracers in ground-water flow

摘要

The advantages of fluorocarbons for use as groundwater tracers are reviewed along with their appropriate physical properties and two analytic techniques using gas chromatography. Field tests were conducted in both Aurora, Nebraska and Stanton, Texas using multiple fluorocarbon tracers. Laboratory column tests were also done using sand as the stationary phase at low pressure and flow rate. The laboratory peak arrival order was different from that seen in the field tests. Various hypotheses have been proposed to explain sorbtion behavior and several are applied to the data gathered here. Aquifer characteristics that may influence tracer retention are identified as mineralogy, organic content, and hydrophobicity of aquifer materials.