Solute transport through porous media using asymptotic dispersivity

In this paper, multiprocess non-equilibrium transport equation has been used, which accounts for both physical and chemical non-equilibrium for reactive transport through porous media. An asymptotic distance dependent dispersivity is used to embrace the concept of scale-dependent dispersion for solute transport in heterogeneous porous media. Semi-analytical solution has been derived of the governing equations with an asymptotic distance dependent dispersivity by using Laplace transform technique and the power series method. For application of analytical model, we simulated observed experimental breakthrough curves from 1500 cm long soil column experiments conducted in the laboratory. The simulation results of breakthrough curves were found to deviate from the observed breakthrough curves for both mobile-immobile and multiprocess non-equilibrium transport with constant dispersion models. However, multiprocess non-equilibrium with an asymptotic dispersion model gives better fit of experimental breakthrough curves through long soil column and hence it is more useful for describing anomalous solute transport through heterogeneous porous media. The present model is simpler than the stochastic numerical method.