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A field experiment and numerical modeling of a tracer at a gravel beach in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Expérimentation de terrain et modélisation numérique d’un traçage dans une plage de graviers dans le Prince William Sound, Alaska

Un experimento de campo y modelado numérico de un trazador en una playa de grava de Prince William Sound, Alaska

在阿拉斯加州威廉王子海峡砾石海滩进行的示踪剂野外实验和数值模拟

Uma experiência de campo e modelação numérica de um traçador numa praia de seixo em Prince William Sound, Alasca

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Abstract

Oil from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill persists in many gravel beaches in Prince William Sound (Alaska, USA), despite great remedial efforts. A tracer study using lithium at a gravel beach on Knight Island, Prince William Sound, during the summer of 2008 is reported. The tracer injection and transport along a transect were simulated using the two-dimensional numerical model MARUN. Model results successfully reproduced the tracer concentrations observed at wells along the transect. A sensitivity analysis revealed that the estimated parameters are well determined. The simulated spatial distribution of tracer indicated that nutrients applied along the transect for bioremediation purposes would be washed to the sea very quickly (within a semi-diurnal tidal cycle) by virtue of the combination of the two-layered beach structure, the tidal fluctuation and the freshwater flow from inland. Thus, pore-water samples in the transect were found to be clean due to factors other than bioremediation. This may explain why the oil did not persist within the transect.

Résumé

De l’huile issue de l’accident de la compagnie pétrolière Exxon Valdez en 1989 persiste dans de nombreuses plages de gravier dans le Prince William Sound (Alaska, Etats Unis d’Amérique), malgré les grands efforts de remédiation. Un traçage utilisant du lithium réalisé durant l’été 2008 dans la plage de gravier de l’île Knight, dans le Prince William Sound est présenté. L’injection du traceur et le transport le long d’une coupe ont été simulés en utilisant le modèle numérique bidimensionnel MARUN. Les résultats du modèle reproduisent avec succès les concentrations du traceur observés dans des puits le long de la coupe. Une analyse de sensibilité a révélé que les paramètres estimés sont bien déterminés. La distribution spatiale simulée du traceur indique que les substances nutritives appliquées le long de la coupe pour les besoins de la remédiation seraient éliminées vers la mer très rapidement (selon un cycle de marée semi diurne) résultant de l’action combinée de la structure à deux couches de la plage, les fluctuations de la marée et l’apport d’eau douce de l’intérieur des terres. Ainsi, des échantillons d’eau porale dans la coupe se sont avérées être une eau propre à cause de facteurs autre que ceux liés à la bioremédiation. Cela peut expliquer pourquoi l’huile ne persiste pas au sein de la coupe.

Resumen

El petróleo del derrame del Exxon Valdez en 1989 persiste en muchas playas de grava en Prince William Sound (Alaska, EE.UU.), a pesar de los grandes esfuerzos de remediación. Se informa un estudio de trazador usando litio en la playa de grava en Knight Island, Prince William Sound, durante el verano de 2008. La inyección del trazador y el transporte a lo largo de una transecta se simularon usando el modelo numérico bidimensional MARUN. Los resultados del modelo reprodujeron exitosamente las concentraciones del trazador observadas en los pozos a lo largo de la transecta. Un análisis de sensibilidad reveló que los parámetros estimados están bien determinados. La distribución especial simulada del trazador indicó que los nutrientes aplicados a lo largo de la transecta para propósitos de biorremediación podrían ser lavados hacia el mar muy rápidamente (dentro de un ciclo mareal semidiurno) en virtud de la combinación de la estructura de dos capas de la playa, la fluctuación de marea y el flujo de agua dulce desde el continente. Así, se encontró que las muestras del agua poral en la transecta están bien limpias debido a factores diferentes a la biorremediación. Esto puede explicar porque el petróleo no persistió dentro de la transecta.

摘要

尽管采取了很大的补救措施, 但1989年埃克森瓦尔迪兹石油公司漏油事件中的油仍然存在于 (美国阿拉斯加州) 威廉王子海峡的许多砾石海滩中. 2008年夏天在威廉王子海峡骑士岛的砾石海滩利用锂进行了示踪研究. 采用二维数值模型MARUN模拟了示踪剂沿横断面的注入和传输过程. 模型成功地再现了沿横断面观测井观测到的示踪剂含量. 灵敏度分析显示, 估算的参数很好地得到确定. 示踪剂模拟的空间分布表明, 沿横断面应用的用于生物修复目的的营养素凭借两层的海滩结构—潮汐波动和来自内陆的淡水流会很快 (在半日的潮汐周期内) 被冲到大海. 因此, 发现横断面的孔隙水样由于影响因素而非生物修复显得很干净. 这可解释为什么油没有存留在横断面内.

Resumo

Apesar dos esforços de remediação, o petróleo do derrame de petróleo de 1989 do Exxon Valdez persiste em muitas praias de Prince William Sound (Alasca, EUA). É reportado um estudo com traçadores, com uso do lítio, numa praia de seixo da Ilha Knight, em Prince William Sound, durante o verão de 2008. A injeção do traçador e o transporte ao longo de um transecto foram simulados através do uso do modelo numérico bidimensional MARUN. Os resultados do modelo reproduziram com sucesso as concentrações do traçador observadas em furos ao longo do transecto. Uma análise de sensibilidade revelou que os parâmetros estimados foram bem determinados. A simulação da distribuição espacial do traçador indicou que os nutrientes aplicados ao longo do transecto com o propósito de bioremediação seriam muito rapidamente arrastados para o mar (dentro de um ciclo de maré semidiurno) em virtude da combinação da estrutura de duas camadas da praia, da flutuação de maré e do fluxo de água doce a partir do continente. Por esse motivo, amostras de água dos poros dentro do transecto foram encontradas limpas devido a fatores que não têm que ver com a bioremediação. Isto pode explicar porque é que o petróleo não persistiu dentro da zona do transecto.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41402201). It was also supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China (No. BK20140843). 

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Hohai University, No. 1 Xikang Road, Nanjing, 210098, People’s Republic of China

    Qiaona Guo & Jin Liu

  2. State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology and School of Water Resources and Environmental Science, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China

    Hailong Li

  3. MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation & Environment Evolution, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China

    Hailong Li

  4. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Center for Natural Resources Development and Protection, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA

    Michel C. Boufadel

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  1. Qiaona Guo
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  4. Jin Liu
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Correspondence to Qiaona Guo.

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Guo, Q., Li, H., Boufadel, M.C. et al. A field experiment and numerical modeling of a tracer at a gravel beach in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Hydrogeol J 22, 1795–1805 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-014-1184-3

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