TY - JOUR
T1 - Combined Source Apportionment and Degradation Quantification of Organic Pollutants with CSIA: 1. Model Derivation
AU - Lutz, Stefanie
AU - van Breukelen, Boris M.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) serves as a tool for source apportionment (SA) and for the quantification of the extent of degradation (QED) of organic pollutants. However, simultaneous occurrence of mixing of sources and degradation is generally believed to hamper both SA and QED. On the basis of the linear stable isotope mixing model and the Rayleigh equation, we developed the stable isotope sources and sinks model, which allows for simultaneous SA and QED of a pollutant that is emitted by two sources and degrades via one transformation process. It was shown that the model necessitates at least dual-element CSIA for unequivocal SA in the presence of degradation-induced isotope fractionation, as illustrated for perchlorate in groundwater. The model also enables QED, provided degradation follows instantaneous mixing of two sources. If mixing occurs after two sources have degraded separately, the model can still provide a conservative estimate of the overall extent of degradation. The model can be extended to a larger number of sources and sinks as outlined. It may aid in forensics and natural attenuation assessment of soil, groundwater, surface water, or atmospheric pollution.
AB - Compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) serves as a tool for source apportionment (SA) and for the quantification of the extent of degradation (QED) of organic pollutants. However, simultaneous occurrence of mixing of sources and degradation is generally believed to hamper both SA and QED. On the basis of the linear stable isotope mixing model and the Rayleigh equation, we developed the stable isotope sources and sinks model, which allows for simultaneous SA and QED of a pollutant that is emitted by two sources and degrades via one transformation process. It was shown that the model necessitates at least dual-element CSIA for unequivocal SA in the presence of degradation-induced isotope fractionation, as illustrated for perchlorate in groundwater. The model also enables QED, provided degradation follows instantaneous mixing of two sources. If mixing occurs after two sources have degraded separately, the model can still provide a conservative estimate of the overall extent of degradation. The model can be extended to a larger number of sources and sinks as outlined. It may aid in forensics and natural attenuation assessment of soil, groundwater, surface water, or atmospheric pollution.
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es405400w
U2 - 10.1021/es405400w
DO - 10.1021/es405400w
M3 - Article
SN - 0013-936X
VL - 48
SP - 6220
EP - 6228
JO - Environmental Science & Technology
JF - Environmental Science & Technology
IS - 11
ER -