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Monitoring of waste deposit derived groundwater contamination with organic tracers

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Abstract

Specific anthropogenic substances derived from seepage and leakage water from a waste deposit landfill were analysed in groundwater and drainage effluents using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Here, we demonstrate the application of an organic marker approach to study lateral and vertical distribution of contamination as well as the long-term emission behaviour. Source-specific and environmentally-stable pesticides, plasticisers and pharmaceuticals, such as N,N-diethyl toluamide, N-butyl benzene sulfonamide, clofibric acid, mecoprop and bisphenol A, were quantitatively analysed. A distinct lateral expansion was detected. Although temporal variations were high, no significant trend was observed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Petroleum and Coal, Aachen University, Lochnerstrasse 4-20, 52056 Aachen, Germany

    Sabine Heim, Jan Schwarzbauer & Ralf Littke

Authors
  1. Sabine Heim
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  2. Jan Schwarzbauer
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  3. Ralf Littke
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Correspondence to Sabine Heim.

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Heim, S., Schwarzbauer, J. & Littke, R. Monitoring of waste deposit derived groundwater contamination with organic tracers. Environ Chem Lett 2, 21–25 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-003-0054-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-003-0054-3

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