An experimental evaluation of the solute transport volume in biodegraded municipal solid waste

Abstract. A large undisturbed sample (3.5 m 3 ) of 22-year-old, biodegraded solid waste set up to estimate the volume fraction participating in the transport of solutes through the waste material. Altogether, five tracer tests were performed under ponding and sprinkling conditions, and under steady-state and transient conditions. The experimental break through curves (BTCs), which indicated a non-equilibrium transport of the solute by early peaks and long right-hand tails, were used to parameterize log-normal solute travel time probability density functions. The expected solute travel times (i.e. the median solute travel times) were assessed and the corresponding fraction of the experimental volumes active in the transport of solutes was estimated. The solute transport volume fractions defined by the median solute travel times were estimated to vary between 5 and 10% of the total experimental volume. Further, the magnitudes of the solute transport volume fractions defined by the modal (peak) solute travel times were estimated to vary between 1 and 2% of the total experimental volume. In addition, possible boundary effects in terms of rapid flow along the wall of the experimental column were investigated.