Validation of reactive model assumptions with isotope data: Application to the Dover case

This paper presents a new approach to compare simulations from reactive transport models. We show that where several compounds follow a reaction chain and can be degraded under different redox conditions, two models with significantly different parameters can lead to similar species distributions, The studied case is the aquifer contamination at Dover, DE U.S., where well characterized plumes of PCE, TCE, cDCE, and VC have been simulated both with RT3D and by a semianalytical procedure proposed here. In order to validate the models, we use isotope data of PCE and TCE that where also measured on that site. A simple calculation, validated against a geochemical model, allows us to simulate the spatial distribution of the isotopic ratio. Despite the similar spatial distribution Of contaminant concentrations, simulated isotopic ratios are completely different. Field data correspond to a very localized degradation of PCE and TCE compounds. The presence of a small degradation zone has important consequences on the future evolution of the plume and on the potential remediation techniques.