Abstract |
The movement of six organic liquids (toluene, xylene, kerosene, acetone, isopropyl alcohol and ethylene glycol) and water through five soils (Davidson, Ava, Canelo, Anthony and Mohave) was evaluated by measuring the rate of advance of the wetting front. Air dry soils were packed in glass columns of 2.1 cm inside diameter and 30-40 cm length. Pure liquids were added to one end of the column under a 0 to -1 cm of head using a constant head device. The rate of advancement of xylene was generally the fastest whereas ethylene glycol was the slowest. Of the soils considered, flow was fastest in the Mohave loam followed by Anthony (sandy loam). The experimental results were tested against theoretical predictions that the rate advance be proportional to the square root of time. Generally, the rate of advance of the pure organic liquid into dry soils can be related to the rate of advance of water and the saturated hydraulic conductivity values. |