Modeling Retardation

1. Due to Linear Sorption

For 1-d advective mass transport with dispersion and linear sorption, the equation is

(18.4)

For BC and IC

(continuous source)

the approximate solution is

(18.6)

v, velocity of advecting water

is the retardation factor

Note, if , the Ogata-Banks solution is exactly recovered

The transport velocity of contaminant is related to the ground-water velocity by

(18.7)

Eq 18.7, often referred to as the retardation equation, predicts the position of a plume front due to
advective transport with linear sorption

The ratio describes how faster ground water or non-sorbing species is moving relative to the
contaminant being sorbed

Note, when ,

For binary exchange reactions, the partition coefficient is replaced by and the retardation
equation is given by

(18.9)

1
 , selectivity coefficient, unitless
, total competing cation C in solution, meq/mL
, cation exchange ratio, meq/100 g mass = centimole/kg

2. Due to Radioactive Decay

For 1-d advective mass transport with dispersion and radioactive decay, the equation is

(14.16)

, decay constant, , , half-life

For BC and IC

(continuous source)

the solution is

(18.10)

v, velocity of contaminant (equal to velocity of advective water when there is no retardation)

If , Eq 18.10 reduces to the Ogata-Banks solution; if the argument of exp 6 !4,

The dimensionless group is critical; if large, exp 6 0, and —species decays faster
than it is transported; if large, , exp 6 1, species moves faster than it decays

appears in two places in the exp term, off-setting its effect

The advective front is modified by decay as

instead of

If the observation point is far behind the modified advective front, the argument of erfc 6 !2 and erfc
6 2, a steady-state C profile is obtained as

(18.11)

which is independent of t