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Integrating high-resolution investigation and soil TPH analysis for accurate estimation of LNAPL volume in the subsurface

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Abstract

Groundwater contamination caused by hydrocarbons is a common issue worldwide. Determining the volume of light non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPL) that contaminate the subsurface environment is crucial for planning effective groundwater and soil remediation strategies, as well as determining the remediation endpoint. However, accurate approaches for quantifying the LNAPL volume in subsurface environments are scarce. To address this gap, we developed and tested a novel approach to quantify the volume of oil phase filling the soil pores. Our approach involves using a high-resolution technique, the laser induced fluorescence (LIF), to identify the presence of the oil phase, which was then correlated to total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) quantifications. For that, first, we obtained an empirical model to estimate the TPH present in the soil using fluorescence intensity and then, we converted the fluorescence intensity data in each log to equivalent TPH values. We used the model block approach, commonly used for ore resource estimation, to compute and discretize the volume of the aquifer contaminated by LNAPL into a set of blocks using the LIF data. Each block was assigned a mean TPH mass, which we used as a proxy for the LNAPL mass in the block. By summing the LNAPL mass in all blocks, we estimated the total LNAPL volume/mass in the investigated site. Our approach provides a simple and effective way to determine the amount of LNAPL contaminating the soil and groundwater, offering a new perspective for investigating hydrocarbon-contaminated sites.

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Acknowledgements

The authors extend their sincere appreciation to FUNDUNESP for awarding research grants and to the dedicated employees of Petrobras for their invaluable support in conducting field research activities. The authors express their gratitude to Angelos Almpanis for his meticulous review and insightful observations. His feedback has significantly enhanced the original manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Pesquisas Leopoldo Américo Miguez de Mello (CENPES), Petróleo Brasileiro SA, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Marcus Paulus Martins Baessa & Adriana Ururahy Soriano

  2. Laboratory of Basin Studies (LEBAC), São Paulo State University, Campus of Rio Claro, Rio Claro, Brazil

    Hung Kiang Chang, Elias Hideo Teramoto, Barbara Panegassi & Bruno Zanon Engelbrecht

  3. Center of Environmental Studies (CEA), São Paulo State University, Campus of Rio Claro, Rio Claro, Brazil

    Hung Kiang Chang & Elias Hideo Teramoto

  4. Department of Geology, IGCE, São Paulo State University, Campus of Rio Claro, Rio Claro, Brazil

    Hung Kiang Chang

Authors
  1. Marcus Paulus Martins Baessa
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  2. Hung Kiang Chang
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  3. Elias Hideo Teramoto
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  4. Barbara Panegassi
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  5. Bruno Zanon Engelbrecht
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  6. Adriana Ururahy Soriano
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Contributions

The project was conceptualized by H.K.C. The manuscript text was written by M.B. and E.H.T. Field data acquisition was carried out by B.Z.E., M.B., and E.H.T., while data processing was performed by B.P. All authors participated in reviewing the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Hung Kiang Chang.

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Baessa, M.P.M., Chang, H.K., Teramoto, E.H. et al. Integrating high-resolution investigation and soil TPH analysis for accurate estimation of LNAPL volume in the subsurface. Environ Earth Sci 83, 415 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-024-11621-2

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