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Instantaneous reaction model

Background / History

The instantaneous reaction model became popular through its implementation in Bioscreen [Newell et al., 1996]. It is based on the concept developed by Connor et al., [1994] using a solution for contaminant transport (advection, dispersion, retardation) and adapting it to account for the influence of chemical reactions during transport. Specifically, the effect of degradation is superimposed based on domain average electron acceptor (EA) concentrations. Connor et al., [1994] compared his method with results of the BIOPLUME II model [Rifai et al., 1990] and determined that results are similar for biodegradable contaminants with retardation factors \(R \leq 6\).

Construction of solution

The Instantaneous reaction model is based on the assumption that degradation is fast, i.e. instantaneous compared to the time scale of other processes, such as transport. Specifically, the rate of biodegradation is not limited by microbial kinetics. For oxygen this is well accepted and shown by Borden et al., [1986]. For anaerobic degradation this is concluded from results of Connor et al., [1994]. The model further assumes that contaminants and EA’s travel at the same transport rate, i.e. retardation is negligible. The validity of this assumption was shown by Borden et al., [1986] for oxygen and some hydrocarbon, but not for other EA’s. [Newell et al., 1996] reports that the assumption holds for other EAs and retardation factors \(R\leq6\).

Starting point of the model is calculating the quantity of contaminant that can be consumed through biodegradation with all present EA’s based on their global concentrations. This quantity is called the biodegradation capacity \(BC\). Details on the calculation of \(BC\) are given below. \(BC\) is a lumped value that reflects the potential contaminant mass removal of available EAs through all biodegradation reactions, including aerobic and anaerobic reactions during transport.

In a second step, the spatial concentration distribution is calculated by combining \(BC\) with an analytical model of the solute transport equation (mibitrans, anatrans, bioscreen) for no decay. When

\[ \begin{equation}\tag{1} C(x, y, z, t) = \frac{C_s}{8} f(x,y,z,t) \end{equation} \]

is an analytical solution for retarded, but non-decaying solute transport (\(\mu = 0\)), then the instantaneous reaction model is constructed via

\[ \begin{equation}\tag{2} C_\mathrm{inst}(x, y, z, t) = \frac{(C_s + BC)}{8} f(x,y,z,t) - BC \end{equation} \]

Note that \(C_s\) implies that source depletion as an option. For the bioscreen model, this reads e.g. \(C_s = (C_0 + BC)\exp{\left( -\gamma_s \left( t-\frac{xR}{v}\right)\right)}\).

Eq. 2 for \(C_\mathrm{inst}(x, y, z, t)\) shows that the source conditions are adapted by adding the biodegradation capacity \(BC\). This reflects the source concentrations without any biodegradation. Consequently, the resulting transported and spatially distributed contaminant concentration is reduced with \(BC\) over the entire domain. This reflects that calculated concentrations are reduced at every location and time by the capacity of biological activity to degrade contaminants, which is assumed to be constant.

Biodegradation capacity

The \(BC\) is calculated from EA concentrations by

\[ BC = \sum_{j=O_2,NO_3^-,SO_4^{2-}} \frac{\bar C_j^\mathrm{upgradient} - C_j^\mathrm{source}}{UF_j} +\sum_{k=Fe^{2+},CH_4} \frac{\bar C_j^\mathrm{source}}{UF_k} \]

here \(\bar C_j^\mathrm{upgradient}\) is the average upgradient concentrations and \(C_j^\mathrm{source}\) is the minimum source concentration of electron acceptors \(j=O_2, NO_3^-, SO_4^{2-}\). \(\bar C_k^\mathrm{source}\) is the average source concentration of the metabolic by-products \(k=Fe^{2+},CH_4\). \(UF_j\) and \(UF_k\) are the utilization factors for each EA that were developed by Wiedemeier et al., [1995] based on the stoichiometric ratios of the reactions (see below).

EA / Byproduct UF (\(gm/gm\))
Oxygen 3.14
Nitrate 4.9
Sulfate 4.7
Ferrous Iron 21.8
Methane 0.78

BTEX utilization factors (UF) for redox reactions.

Utilization Factors (UF)

Utilization factors as derived by Wiedemeier et al., [1995] and used by Bioscreen with values given in previous Table are based on the degradation reactions, here exemplified for benzene:

\[ C_6H_6 + 7.5O_2 \to 6CO_2 + 3H_2O \]
\[ 6NO_3^- + 6H^+ + C_6H_6 \to 6CO_2 + 6H_2O + 3N_2 \]
\[ 60H^+ + 30Fe(OH)_3 + C_6H_6 \to 6CO_2 + 6Fe^{2+} + 78H_2O \]
\[ 7.5H^+ + 3.75SO_4^{2-} + C_6H_6 \to 6CO_2 + 3.75H_2S + 3H_2O \]
\[ C_6H_6 + 4.5H_2O \to 2.25CO_2 + 3.75CH_4 \]

The utilization factor for oxygen, nitrate, and sulfate can be developed showing the stoichiometric ratio of EA consumed to the mass of dissolved hydrocarbon degraded in the biodegradation reactions. Utilization factors for iron reduction and methanogenesis can be developed from the ratio of generated mass of metabolic by-products to mass of dissolved hydrocarbon degraded. Values represented in the Table are averages of stoichiometric ratios for all four BTEX constituents.

Note that UFs are limited to reactions of EAs with BTEX constituents. When aiming to model other contaminants, the utilization factors would need to be adapted. Alternatively, available oxygen, nitrate, iron, sulfate, and methane concentrations could be adjusted accordingly to reflect alternate utilization factors.

Instantaneous reaction solution for bioscreen model

Using the bioscreen transport model without decay (\(\mu = 0\), thus \(P = 1\)), the instantaneous reaction equation becomes:

\[ \begin{aligned} C(x, y, t) &= \sum_{i=1}^{n} \left\{ \left[ \frac{C^*_{0,i} + BC_n}{8} \exp\left( -\gamma_s \left( t - \frac{x}{v_R} \right) \right) \right] \operatorname{erfc} \left( \frac{x - v_R t}{2\sqrt{\alpha_x v_R t}} \right) \right. \\ &\quad \cdot \left[ \operatorname{erf} \left( \frac{y + Y_i}{2\sqrt{\alpha_y x}} \right) - \operatorname{erf} \left( \frac{y - Y_i}{2\sqrt{\alpha_y x}} \right) \right] \\ &\quad \cdot \left. \left[ \operatorname{erf} \left( \frac{Z}{2\sqrt{\alpha_z x}} \right)- \operatorname{erf} \left( \frac{-Z}{2\sqrt{\alpha_z x}} \right) \right] \right\} -BC \end{aligned} \]

Here, \(BC_n\) indicates that for a model with multiple source zones, the biodegradation capacity is only added to the outermost source zone. These adaptation are the same for the anatrans and mibitrans equations.

Instantaneous reaction source depletion

The instant reaction model assumes that biodegradation takes place inside the source zone. Thus, the source depletion coefficient is calculated differently as

\[ \gamma_s^{\mathrm{inst}} = \frac{Q \cdot (\bar C_0 + BC)}{m_{\mathrm{s,0}}} \]

Here, the biodegradation capacity \(BC\) is added to the average source zone contaminant concentration, resulting in a greater contaminant flux out of the source zone, and thus, faster source depletion.

References

Borden, R. C., and P. B. Bedient, Transport of dissolved hydrocarbons influenced by oxygen-limited biodegradation: 1. Theoretical development, Water Resources Research, 22 (13), 1973–1982, doi:10.1029/WR022i013p01973, 1986.

Connor, J., C. Newell, J. Nevin, and H. Rifai, Guidelines for use of groundwater spreadsheet models in risk-based corrective action design, Tech. rep., National Ground Water Association, Proceedings of the Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Ground Water Conference, Houston, Texas, 1994.

Newell, C. J., R. K. McLeod, and J. R. Gonzales, BIOSCREEN Natural Attenuation Decision Support System User’s Manual Version 1.3, Tech. Rep. EPA/600/R-96/087, US EPA, 1996.

Rifai, H. S., and P. B. Bedient, Comparison of biodegradation kinetics with an instantaneous reaction model for groundwater, Water Resources Research, 26 (4), 637–645, doi:10.1029/WR026i004p00637, 1990

Wiedemeier, T. H., J. T. Wilson, D. H. Kampbell, R. N. Miller, and J. E. Hansen, Technical protocol for implementing intrinsic remediation with long-term monitoring for natural attenuation of fuel contamination dissolved in groundwater. Volume II, Tech. Rep. AD-A–324247/6/XAB, Parsons Engineering Science, Inc., Denver, CO (United States), 1995.