Premium
Laboratory Evaluation of Selected Radioisotopes as Ground‐Water Tracers
Author(s) -
Jennings A. Ray,
Schroeder Melvin C.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr004i004p00829
Subject(s) - tracer , ion exchange , elution , groundwater , partition coefficient , chemistry , retardation factor , chromium , mineralogy , analytical chemistry (journal) , geology , ion , environmental chemistry , geotechnical engineering , physics , chromatography , nuclear physics , organic chemistry , column chromatography
As the appearance of a tracer results from movement along the most direct flow path, the arrival of the maximum concentration is the best index for determining the average water velocity. Antimony 121, cerium 141, chromium 51, indium 114, ruthenium 103, and strontium 85 in chelate form were tested, as the unchelated ions are subject to greater delay by adsorption and ion exchange. Distribution‐coefficient measurements were made under static conditions for crushed illitic shale and limestone. These measurements can be used to predict the elution history of a tracer from an exchange column. Comparisons of the predictions, the tracer elution histories, and elution histories for chloride pulses indicate that chelated chromium 51 is an adequate ground‐water tracer. The average velocity of ground water is equal to the sum of the tracer velocity plus the product of the tracer velocity, the distribution coefficient, and the bulk density of the aquifer divided by its effective porosity. The distribution coefficient for an ideal tracer is zero, and the average velocity of this tracer is equal to the average ground‐water velocity.