Behavior of metalions in aquifers: experimental studies

• Grant number: 11/14928-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: November 01, 2011
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal Investigator: Raphael Hypolito
• Grantee: Raphael Hypolito
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IGC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Daniela da Conceição Gamito ; Marisa Santiago Pugas ; Mauricio Gardinali Junior

Abstract

In recent years the global shortage of fresh water has become a major threat to the economic and social development around the globe. Only 2% of water reserves on the planet is fresh water and of these 97% are underground in the form of groundwater. These, in turn, unlike surface water, have large periods of residence and contaminated long periods are needed to occur autodecontamination. For more homogeneous than it might seem a soil varies in its features that allow experimental monitoring only the relationships between the properties of its constituents. This work using acrylic columns filled with different materials both natural and artificial through six sets of experiments will allow better understanding of the dynamics of the infiltration water from the soil surface, to the different compartments of an aquifer, the saturated zone, capillary fringe and unsaturated zone. Shall be determined in laboratory and field distribution of the metal ions Na +, K +, Cu2 + and Mn2 + in the different zones of an aquifer. The tests shall be conducted in transparent containers and small ion movement which will take place virtually in only one direction, the vertical. To define the experimental parameters will be tested several techniques which can reproduce the phenomena of water movement in soil and at the same time, to distinguish the heights of the unsaturated zone, capillary fringe, saturated region by capillarity, the water table and saturated zone. (AU)