Spatial moments for colloid-enhanced radionuclide transport in heterogeneous aquifers

We consider colloid facilitated radionuclide transport by steady groundwater flow in a heterogeneous porous formation. Radionuclide binding on colloids and soil-matrix is assumed to be kinetically/equilibrium controlled. All reactive parameters are regarded as uniform, whereas the hydraulic log-conductivity is modelled as a stationary random space function (RSF). Colloid-enhanced radionuclide transport is studied by means of spatial moments pertaining to both the dissolved and colloid-bounded concentration. The general expressions of spatial moments for a colloid-bounded plume are presented for the first time, and are discussed in order to show the combined impact of sorption processes as well as aquifer heterogeneity upon the plume migration. For the general case, spatial moments are defined by the aid of two characteristic reaction functions which cannot be expressed analytically. By adopting the approximation for the longitudinal fluid trajectory covariance valid for a flow parallel to the formation bedding suggested by Dagan and Cvetkovic Dagan G, Cvetkovic V. Spatial Moments of Kinetically Sorbing Plume in a Heterogeneous Aquifers. Water Resour Res 1993;29:4053], we obtain closed form solutions.