Title: Development of resistivity probes for continuous monitoring of pollutant in porous media

Authors: P. Rajasekhar, T.I. Eldho, B.V.S. Viswanadham

Addresses: Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India. ' Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India. ' Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India

Abstract: In this study, an attempt has been made to develop resistivity probes and an experimental setup capable of simulating the field conditions concerned with migration of pollutant through the porous media. The porous media chosen for the present study is commercially available uniformly graded sand; while Sodium Chloride solution was considered as the pollutant. For the continuous monitoring of pollutant transport, miniature resistivity platinum wire probes and a multiplexing system capable of reading the concentration values in terms of voltage drop was developed. Also, movement of the pollutant was monitored with a digital camera, through the transparent wall of the Plexiglas container. Model tests pertaining to pollutant movement in soils were conducted to simulate spill from a leaking underground storage tank and migration of pollutant. The developed probes have been found to be very effective to continuously monitor the pollutant movement in the porous media.

Keywords: pollutant transport; model tests; pollutant movement; resistivity probes; multiplexer; breakthrough curves; pollutant monitoring; environmental pollution; porous media; sand; sodium chloride; leakage; underground storage tanks.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2010.029837

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2010 Vol.2 No.1/2/3, pp.316 - 333

Published online: 02 Dec 2009 *

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