Description:
Over the years, numerous technologies and prediction models have been developed to both predict where and how fast the subsurface contamination will move and how it might affect groundwater. However, all of these technologies are contingent on understanding the location of the contaminants, how much contamination is present, and what processes are affecting the contaminants. This information can be often very difficult to obtain, as the subsurface is often very complex, consisting of numerous types and variable depths of soils. Traditionally, drilling wells and groundwater testing have primarily provided these types of information. However, these wells are also costly to install and generally only give information over comparatively sizeable zones.
This technology is a diagnostic tool that can produce environmental samples at high resolution and produce depth profiles of contaminant concentrations, microbial diversity and activity, as well as pore water velocity without causing an environmental disturbance typical of drilling devices.
Reference Number: D-1271
Market Applications:
•Environmental Remediation
Features, Benefits, & Advantages:
•Contribute in determining appropriate environmental remediation options.
•Useful for contaminated site investigations.
•Great potential to increase the subsurface models
Intellectual Property: A US provisional patent, serial number 62578929, was filed on 10/30/17.
Development Stage: The invention has been reduced to practice.
Researchers:
•W. Andrew Jackson, Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
Keywords: Groundwater contaminants, High-resolution delineation of contaminant concentrations