Development of Modeling Software for Predicting the Multidimensional Contaminant Transport at a Chlorinated-Solvent Contaminated Site with a Branching Biodegradation Reaction Pathway( I )

Chlorinated ethenes are significant groundwater contaminants. Under anaerobicconditions, chloroethenes are subject to reductive dechlorination resulting in thestepwise conversion of PCE to TCE, DCE isomers (1,1-DCE, cis -1,2- DCE andtrans -1,2- DCE), VC, and ethane. Multi-species transport analytical model is acost-effective tool for simultaneous determination of the transport behavior ofparent and daughter species of dissolved ethenes at chlorinated-solventgroundwater contaminated site. Although several multi-species transportanalytical model have already been reported in the literature, those currentlyavailable have primarily been derived based on the coupled advection-dispersionequations with a straight chain biodegradation reaction pathway The multispecies transport analytical model with a straight chain biodegradation reactionpathway cannot account for the transport behaviors of individual DCE isomers.In this three-year industry-academy cooperation project, we collaborate with theSinotech Environmental Techonology, Ltd. to develop a multi-species transportanalytical model with a branching biodegradation reaction pathway for thepurpose of accurately and simultaneously predicting the multi-dimensionalcontaminant transport behaviors of PCE, TCE, three DCE isomers, VC and ETHat chlorinated-solvent contaminated site. In the first year, a two-dimensionaltransport analytical model will be developed and the accuracy of itscorresponding FORTRAN computer code will be assured elaborately. In thesecond year, we will extend the achievement of the first year to develop thethree-dimensional transport analytical model and assure the performance of itsFORTRAN computer code. In the third year, a modeling software for predictingthe multi-dimensional contaminant transport at a chlorinated-solventcontaminated site with a branching biodegradation reaction pathway will besystematically constructed by integrating the achievements of the first two years,collecting the field data of important transport parameters, providing someapplication examples and developing a friendly graphical user interface (GUI).