Estimation of transport parameters of phenolic compounds and inorganic contaminants through composite landfill liners using one-dimensional mass transport model

One-dimensional (1D) advection–dispersion transport modeling was conducted as a conceptual approach for the estimation of the transport parameters of fourteen different phenolic compounds (phenol, 2-CP, 2-MP, 3-MP, 4-MP, 2-NP, 4-NP, 2,4-DNP, 2,4-DCP, 2,6-DCP, 2,4,5-TCP, 2,4,6-TCP, 2,3,4,6-TeCP, PCP) and three different inorganic contaminants (Cu, Zn, Fe) migrating downward through the several liner systems. Four identical pilot-scale landfill reactors (0.25 m3) with different composite liners (R1: 0.10 + 0.10 m of compacted clay liner (CCL), Le = 0.20 m, ke = 1 × 10−8 m/s, R2: 0.002-m-thick damaged high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane overlying 0.10 + 0.10 m of CCL, Le = 0.20 m, ke = 1 × 10−8 m/s, R3: 0.002-m-thick damaged HDPE geomembrane overlying a 0.02-m-thick bentonite layer encapsulated between 0.10 + 0.10 m CCL, Le = 0.22 m, ke = 1 × 10−8 m/s, R4: 0.002-m-thick damaged HDPE geomembrane overlying a 0.02-m-thick zeolite layer encapsulated between 0.10 + 0.10 m CCL, Le = 0.22 m, ke = 4.24 × 10−7 m/s) were simultaneously run for a period of about 540 days to investigate the nature of diffusive and advective transport of the selected organic and inorganic contaminants. The results of 1D transport model showed that the highest molecular diffusion coefficients, ranging from 4.77 × 10−10 to 10.67 × 10−10 m2/s, were estimated for phenol (R4), 2-MP (R1), 2,4-DNP (R2), 2,4-DCP (R1), 2,6-DCP (R2), 2,4,5-TCP (R2) and 2,3,4,6-TeCP (R1). For all reactors, dispersion coefficients of Cu, ranging from 3.47 × 10−6 m2/s to 5.37 × 10−2 m2/s, was determined to be higher than others obtained for Zn and Fe. Average molecular diffusion coefficients of phenolic compounds were estimated to be about 5.64 × 10−10 m2/s, 5.37 × 10−10 m2/s, 2.69 × 10−10 m2/s and 3.29 × 10−10 m2/s for R1, R2, R3 and R4 systems, respectively. The findings of this study clearly indicated that about 35–50% of transport of phenolic compounds to the groundwater is believed to be prevented with the use of zeolite and bentonite materials in landfill liner systems.

► We conduct 1D advection–dispersion modeling to estimate transport parameters.
► We examine fourteen phenolic compounds and three inorganic contaminants.
► 2-MP, 2,4-DCP, 2,6-DCP, 2,4,5-TCP, 2,3,4,6-TeCP have the highest coefficients.
► Dispersion coefficients of Cu are determined to be higher than Zn and Fe.
► Transport of phenolics can be prevented by zeolite and bentonite in landfill liners.