Experimental Investigation of Solute Transport

Abstract

Laboratory column tests are often used to study transport in porous media. The basic principle is simple: solutes are passed through a bed of soil or sediment and measured in the effluent solution. However, complex behaviors within the column can be identified through certain features of the breakthrough curve. Specific aspects of experimental design will vary depending on the objectives of the study, but theoretical and empirical work has yielded a set of guidelines that should be followed for all column tests. This article reviews the theory of miscible solute transport in saturated porous media, outlines key elements of the laboratory setup, and provides a framework for data analysis and interpretation. The reader will receive an overview of the experimental process from beginning to end, and learn the dos and don'ts of column studies.