Equilibrium distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons in freezing ground

Past documented laboratory measurements have shown movement of petroleum hydrocarbons to the freezing front in contaminated freezing soils. The mechanisms that are, in part, responsible for the increased contaminant concentration at the freezing front are illustrated in this study with a mass-balanc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Record
Main Authors: Barnes, David L., Wolfe, Sarah M., Filler, Dennis M.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2004
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247404003602
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247404003602
Description
Summary:Past documented laboratory measurements have shown movement of petroleum hydrocarbons to the freezing front in contaminated freezing soils. The mechanisms that are, in part, responsible for the increased contaminant concentration at the freezing front are illustrated in this study with a mass-balance model. Results from this quantitative analysis show that this concentration increase is due to exclusion of petroleum hydrocarbon from the crystalline ice structure and from physical displacement of liquid petroleum hydrocarbon from the pore space as water freezes and expands into ice. Consequences of this process in relation to contaminant migration in freezing soils through time are discussed.