Abstract
The bulk parameter dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is often successfully exploited in the context of investigations into the collective behavior of dissolved organics contained in water. Though being an unspecific parameter, increased DOC concentrations can indicate anthropogenic influences (such as bank filtration or artificial recharge) on groundwater quality. To this end, DOC as an organic surrogate parameter was investigated for its potential to indicate and characterize such influences. The advantages of using DOC as an indicator parameter are the low time and cost investments required for analysis of DOC concentrations but also the fact that DOC reflects the collective behavior of the dissolved organics contained in water. Existing models for DOC characterization are limited to the identification of one or two compound groups with different degradability. Based on first order degradation kinetics, a multi-component approach is mathematically derived. The approach is demonstrated for the example of four compound groups that are (i) easily, (ii) moderately, (iii) poorly and (iv) under the given conditions not degradable as a function of time scale and flow path length. By means of the conceptual model, a decision tool is given for finding the necessary contact time as a function of hydraulic conditions and flow path length, such as in the case of bank filtration or groundwater recharge site design, as well as in finding the required distance between infiltration areas and points of interest. The discussion of contact time and time scales is a step towards a comparable interpretation of laboratory and field conditions in terms of biodegradation rate constants for DOC as well as for single organic compounds.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alexander M (1991) Introduction to soil microbiology. Krieger, Malabar
Arnold RG, Quanrud DM, Wilson LG et al (1996) The fate of residual wastewater organics during soil aquifer treatment. Proceedings American Water Works Association Water Reuse ‘96, San Diego, CA:505–530
Bockelmann A, Ptak TH, Teutsch G (2001) An analytical quantification of mass fluxes and natural attenuation rate constants at a former gasworks site. J Contam Hydrol 53:429–453
Boggs JM, Beard LM, Waldrop WR et al (1993) Transport of tritium and four organic compounds during a natural-gradient experiment (MADE-2). EPRI TR-101998. Research Project 2485-05. TVA Eng. Lab., Norris. Tennessee
Brauner JS, Widdowson MA (2001) Numerical simulation of a natural attenuation experiment with a petroleum hydrocarbon NAPL Source. Ground Water 39(6):939–952
Drewes JE, Fox P (1999a) Behavior and characterization of residual organic compounds in wastewater used for indirect potable reuse. Water Sci Technol 40(4–5):391–398
Drewes JE, Fox P (1999b) Fate of natural organic matter (NOM) during groundwater recharge using reclaimed water. Water Sci Technol 40(9):241–248
Drewes JE, Jekel M (1998) Behavior of DOC and AOX using advanced treated wastewater for groundwater re-charge. Water Res 32(10):3125–3133
Drewes JE, Summers RS (2002) Natural organic matter removal during riverbank filtration: Current knowledge and research needs. In: Ray C, Melin G, Linsky RB (eds) Riverbank filtration: Improving source-water quality. Kluwer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands:303–309
Gimbel R, Mälzer H-J (1987) Testfilter experiments to evaluate drinking water relevance of organic compounds in running waters (in German). Vom Wasser 69:139–153
Gimbel R, Gerlach M, Mälzer H-J (1992) A testfilter method for the simulation of pollutant transport in the subsurface (in German). In: Erfassung und Bewertung von Xenobiotika aus der Sicht der Trinkwasserversorgung. Institute for water chemistry and water technology, University Duisburg 6:126–162
Grischek T, Schoenheinz D, Worch E, Hiscock K (2002) Bank filtration in Europe – an overview of aquifer conditions and hydraulic controls. In: Dillon PJ (ed) Management of aquifer recharge for sustainability. A.A. Balkema Publ., Sweets & Zeitlinger, Lisse:485–488
Grischek T (2003) Management of bank filtration sites along the Elbe River. PhD thesis, Faculty of Forestry, Geo and Hydro Sciences, Dresden University of Technology
Grischek T, Nestler W (1998) Behaviour of DOC during bank filtration (in German). University of Applied Sciences, Research report 6, 02WT9454/0
Hazen TC, Jiménez L, de Victoria GL, Fliermans CB (1991) Comparison of bacteria from deep subsurface sediment and adjacent groundwater. Microb Ecol 22:293–304
Helmisaari H-S, Derome J, Hatva T et al (2006) Artificial recharge in Finland through basin and sprinkling infiltration: Soil processes, retention time and water quality. UNESCO IHP-VI, Series on Groundwater 13:280–285
Hobby R, Gimbel R (1988) Results from testfilter experiments with sewage water of municipalities and pulp and paper mills (in German). DVGW-Schriftenreihe Wasser 60:117–151
Jurado-Exposito M, Walker A (1989) Degradation of isoproturon, propyzamide and alachlor in soil with constant and variable incubation conditions. Weed Res 38:309–318
Kaplan LA, Newbold JD (2000) Surface and subsurface dissolved organic carbon. In: Jones JB, Mulholland PJ (eds) Streams and ground waters. Academic Press,San Diego:237–248
Kolehmainen RE, Langwaldt JH, Puhakka JA (2007) Natural organic matter (NOM) removal and structural changes in the bacterial community during artificial groundwater recharge with humic lake water. Water Res 41:2715–2725
Kölle W (2003) Water analyses – correct evaluation (in German). Wiley, VCH Weinheim
Krüger CJ, Radakovich KM, Sawyer TE et al (1998) Biodegradation of the surfactant linear Alkylbenzenesulfonate in sewage-contaminated groundwater: A comparison of column experiments and field tracer tests. Environ Sci Technol 32(24):3954–3961
Lehtola M, Miettinen I, Vartiainen T et al (1996) Changes in microbiology and water chemistry during slow sand filtration. Proceedings of International Symposium on “Artificial Recharge of Groundwater,” NHP Report 38:197–202
Lindroos A-J, Kitunen V, Derome J, Helmisaari H-S (2002) Changes in dissolved organic carbon during artificial recharge of groundwater in a forested esker in Southern Finland. Water Res 36:4951–4958
Mälzer H-J (1993) Investigation into transport and degradation processes during bank filtration considering effects of shock loads (in German). PhD thesis, Faculty of Engineering, University Duisburg
Mälzer H-J, Gerlach M, Gimbel R (1992) Development of testfilters to simulate shock loads for bank filtration (in German). Vom Wasser 78:343–353
Maeng SK, Sharma SK, Magic-Knezev A, Amy G (2008) Fate of effluent organic matter (EfOM) and natural organic matter (NOM) through riverbank filtration. Water Sci Technol 75(12):1999–2007
Matthess G (1994) The quality of groundwater (in German). Gebr. Borntraeger, Berlin, Stuttgart
Momba MNB, Kfir R, Venter SN, Cloete TE (2000) An overview on biofilm formation in distribution systems and its impact on the deterioration of water quality. Water SA 26(1):59–66
Nestler W, Walther W, Jacobs F, Trettin R, Freyer K (1998) Water production in alluvial aquifers in the Elbe river catchment (in German). UFZ Research report 7, Leipzig
Palmisano AC, Schwab BS, Maruscik DA (1991) Seasonal changes in mineralization of xenobiotics by stream microbial communities. Can J Microbiol 37(12):939–948
Preuß G, Nehrkorn A (1996) Succession of microbial communities during bank filtration and artificial groundwater recharge. Proceedings of International Symposium on “Artificial Recharge of Groundwater,” NHP Report 38:215–221
Quanrud DM, Arnold RG, Wilson LG et al (1996) Fate of organics during column studies of soil aquifer treatment. J Environ Eng 122(4):314–321
Rauch T, Drewes JE (2005) Quantifying biological organic carbon removal in groundwater recharge systems. J Environ Eng 131(6)909–923
Sacher F, Brauch HJ, Kühn W (2000) Fate studies of hydrophilic organic micro-pollutants in riverbank filtration. In: Jülich W, Schubert J (eds) Proceedings of the International Riverbank Filtration Conference. IAWR:139–148
Schoenheinz D, Grischek T, Worch E et al (2002) Groundwater pollution near the pulp and paper mill Sjasstroj at Lake Ladoga, Russia. In: Hiscock KM, Davison RM, Rivett MO (eds) Sustainable groundwater development. Geological Society Special Publ 193, London:277–291
Schoenheinz D (2004) DOC as control parameter for the evaluation and management of aquifers with anthropogenic influenced infiltration. PhD thesis, Faculty of Forestry, Geo and Hydro Sciences, Dresden University of Technology
Schoenheinz D, Grischek T (2010) Behavior of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during bank filtration under extreme climate conditions. In: Ray C, Shamrukh M (eds) Riverbank filtration for water security in desert countries. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands
Sontheimer H (1991) Drinking water from river Rhine? (in German) Academia Verlag Sankt Augustin
Sontheimer H, Völker E (1987) Characterisation of waste water discharges considering drinking water supply (in German). University of Technology Karlsruhe 31
Suarez MP, Rifai, HS (1999) Biodegradation rates for fuel hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents in groundwater. Biorem J 3(4):337–362
Veeh RH, Inskeep WP, Camper AK (1996) Soil depth and temperature effects on microbial degradation of 2,4-D. J Environ Qual 25(1):5–12
Wesnigk JB, Keskin M, Jonas W, Figge K, Rheinheimer G (2001) Predictability of biodegradation on the environment: Limits of prediction from experimental data. In: Beek B (ed) Biodegradation and persistence. Springer Verlag, Berlin
Acknowledgments
The author thanks Wolfgang Nestler, Jörg E. Drewes, Thomas Grischek, Hilmar Börnick, and Eckhard Worch for their continuous discussions, significant comments and ongoing support in developing the demonstrated concept.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
About this paper
Cite this paper
Schoenheinz, D. (2011). Dissolved Organic Carbon as an Indicator Parameter for Groundwater Flow and Transport. In: Shamrukh, M. (eds) Riverbank Filtration for Water Security in Desert Countries. NATO Science for Peace and Security Series C: Environmental Security. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0026-0_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0026-0_10
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-007-0025-3
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-0026-0
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)