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Vapor‐phase Diffusion of Benzene in Soil
Author(s) -
Karimi Ali A.,
Farmer Walter J.,
Cliath Mark M.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1987.00472425001600010008x
Subject(s) - volatilisation , porosity , diffusion , flux (metallurgy) , isothermal process , benzene , bulk density , soil science , environmental science , environmental chemistry , chemistry , soil water , materials science , thermodynamics , composite material , physics , organic chemistry
The volatilization of benzene (C 6 H 6 ), a component of volatile emissions from landfills receiving certain industrial wastes, was characterized in the laboratory using a simulated landfill apparatus. The steady‐state vapor diffusion of C 6 H 6 in soil under isothermal conditions and negligible water flow was directly related to soil air‐filled porosity. The volatilization flux of C 6 H 6 through a soil cover was greatly reduced by increased soil bulk density and increased soil‐water content. The actual flux through the soil cover could be predicted from the soil porosity term, P 10/3 a P −2 T , where P a is the soil air‐filled porosity and P T is the total porosity. The diffusion coefficient in air for C 6 H 6 calculated from the experimental results was 8.91 × 10 −6 m 2 s −1 , at 20 °C, which agrees with other reported data.