Physical modelling of solute transport in porous media: evaluation of an imaging technique using UV excited fluorescent dye

The development and evaluation of a 2-dimensional physical model, which is designed to assist in the characterisation of complex solute transport problems in porous media, is described. The laboratory model is a transparent 2-dimensional porous media of nominal thickness and uses a non-invasive imaging technique in conjunction with a fluorescent dye tracer (sodium fluorescein) to monitor solute movements. Under ultraviolet (UV) illumination the dye emits visible light which is imaged by a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera. The image is processed to estimate the 2-dimensional distribution of tracer concentrations. The system can successfully model a simple contaminant plume within a homogenous porous matrix constructed from glass beads (60-100 mum). Experimental results show that transverse dispersion coefficient was 3.9 x 10(-10) m(2)/s when sodium fluorescein transported in porous matrix with a water velocity of 5.71 x 10(-6) m/s. The low transverse dispersion coefficient suggests that the molecular diffusion of solute cannot be neglected under low velocity of the water. The advantages of using UV rather than an ordinary light system are a reduction in noise and experimental errors. Errors due to light dispersion within the model are shown to be negligible for the current model. Since contaminant with aromatic rings are usually fluorescent and biological samples can be labelled by fluorescent dye, this imaging technique using UV excited fluorescent dye will be used to investigate biodegradation process in porous media. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.