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Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1007/s11356-014-2494-7
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Title (Primary) Noninvasive characterization of the Trecate (Italy) crude-oil contaminated site: links between contamination and geophysical signals
Author Cassiani, G.; Binley, A.; Kemna, A.; Wehrer, M.; Flores Orozco, A.; Deiana, R.; Boaga, J.; Rossi, M.; Dietrich, P. ORCID logo ; Werban, U. ORCID logo ; Zschornack, L.; Godio, A.; JafarGandomi, A.; Deidda, G.P.
Source Titel Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Year 2014
Department MET
Volume 21
Issue 15
Page From 8914
Page To 8931
Language englisch
UFZ wide themes RU5;
Abstract The characterization of contaminated sites can benefit from the supplementation of direct investigations with a set of less invasive and more extensive measurements. A combination of geophysical methods and direct push techniques for contaminated land characterization has been proposed within the EU FP7 project ModelPROBE and the affiliated project SoilCAM. In this paper, we present results of the investigations conducted at the Trecate field site (NW Italy), which was affected in 1994 by crude oil contamination. The less invasive investigations include ground-penetrating radar (GPR), electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), and electromagnetic induction (EMI) surveys, together with direct push sampling and soil electrical conductivity (EC) logs. Many of the geophysical measurements were conducted in time-lapse mode in order to separate static and dynamic signals, the latter being linked to strong seasonal changes in water table elevations. The main challenge was to extract significant geophysical signals linked to contamination from the mix of geological and hydrological signals present at the site. The most significant aspects of this characterization are: (a) the geometrical link between the distribution of contamination and the site’s heterogeneity, with particular regard to the presence of less permeable layers, as evidenced by the extensive surface geophysical measurements; and (b) the link between contamination and specific geophysical signals, particularly evident from cross-hole measurements. The extensive work conducted at the Trecate site shows how a combination of direct (e.g., chemical) and indirect (e.g., geophysical) investigations can lead to a comprehensive and solid understanding of a contaminated site’s mechanisms.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=14961
Cassiani, G., Binley, A., Kemna, A., Wehrer, M., Flores Orozco, A., Deiana, R., Boaga, J., Rossi, M., Dietrich, P., Werban, U., Zschornack, L., Godio, A., JafarGandomi, A., Deidda, G.P. (2014):
Noninvasive characterization of the Trecate (Italy) crude-oil contaminated site: links between contamination and geophysical signals
Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 21 (15), 8914 - 8931 10.1007/s11356-014-2494-7