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Cook et al. 1995
Cook, P.G., Solomon, D.K., Plummer, L.N., Busenberg, E. and Schiff, S.L. (1995). Chlorofluorocarbons as tracers of groundwater transport processes in a shallow, silty sand aquifer. Water Resources Research 31: doi: 10.1029/94WR02528. issn: 0043-1397.

Detailed depth profiles of chlorofluorocarbons CFC-11 (CFCl3), CFC-12 (CF2Cl2), and CFC-113 (C2F3Cl3) have been obtained from a well-characterized field site in central Ontario. Aquifer materials comprise predominantly silty sands, with a mean organic carbon content of 0.03%. Nearly one-dimensional flow exists at this site, and the vertical migration of a well-defined 3H peak has been tracked through time. Detailed vertical sampling has allowed CFC tracer velocities to be estimated to within 10%. Comparison with 3H profiles enables estimation of chlorofluorocarbon transport parameters. CFC-12 appears to be the most conservative of the CFCs measured. Sorption at this site is low (Kd<0.03), and degradation does not appear to be important. CFC-113 is retarded both with respect to CFC-12 and with respect to 3H (Kd=0.09--0.14). CFC-11 appears to be degraded both in the highly organic unsaturated zone and below 3.5 m depth in the aquifer, where dissolved oxygen concentrations decrease to below 0.5 mg L-1. The half-life for CFC-11 degradation below 3.5 m depth is less than 2 years. While apparent CFC-12 ages match hydraulic ages to within 20% (up to 30 years), apparent CFC-11 and CFC-113 ages significantly overestimate hydraulic ages at our field site. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1995

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Abstract

Keywords
Oceanography, Biological and Chemical, Geochemistry
Journal
Water Resources Research
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American Geophysical Union
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