Anaya A., Angel A.

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    Effect of variable environmental conditions on fate and transport of explosive-related chemicals near soilatmospheric surface
    (2009) Anaya A., Angel A.; Padilla-Cestero, Ingrid Y.; College of Engineering; Hwang, Sangchul; Harmsen, Eric; Department of Civil Engineering; Huerfano, Victor
    Landmines and other buried explosive devices (BEDs) pose an immense threat to military personnel, civilian population, and the environment in many places of the world, requiring large efforts on detection. Chemical detection of explosive-related chemicals (ERCs) near BEDs, including chemical, biological, canine, and infrared (IR) detections, relies on the presence of ERCs near the soil-atmospheric surface. ERCs distribution near this surface and their relation to the location of explosive devices are controlled by the fate and transport processes. A three-dimensional laboratory-scale SoilBed system was designed and developed to assess the influence of environmental parameters on the flow patterns and transport of TNT, DNT and related chemicals. Experimental work to determine the effect of visible light, temperature, and rainfall conditions indicated that the mobility and persistence of water, TNT, DNT and others related chemicals are highly influenced by interrelated environmental and boundary conditions. Experimental results indicate that rainfall events and low system temperatures induce higher water contents and retention. The presence of radiation and high system-temperatures induce water drainage and low water saturation in sandy soils. Advective and dispersive transport dominates mobility under high soil saturation. High water contents induce higher TNT and DNT source dissolution, higher advective transport, lower sorption, and increases spatial and temporal detection and concentration distribution. Higher rainfall intensity, thus, results in higher detection and concentration distribution. Lower water flux, higher potential for sorption and degradation, and greater volatilization contribute to lower detection and concentration at low soil water contents. Higher temperatures tend to induce higher source dissolution rates, but enhance water drainage and lower water contents and limits TNT and DNT detection. At low temperatures, detection is enhanced by higher water contents and lower sorption, degradation and volatilization losses. The effect of temperature on DNT and TNT detection is highly variable and is influenced by interrelated factors. Solar radiation influences soil temperature and heat fluxes, and enhance TNT/DNT dissolution, transport, and degradation. It significantly enhances DNT detection. A generalized linear mixed statistical model has been applied to quantify the temporal and spatial effect of environmental conditions on ERC detection and concentrations. The statistical analysis indicated that rainfall events and related water contents were the most influential factors affecting the presence and concentrations of ERCs in the aqueous and gaseous phase. Solar radiation, and related heat flux, is the second most influential parameter. Although atmospheric temperature influences the presence and concentration of ERCs in soils, it is the least influential parameter.