A Parsimonious Analytical Model for Simulating Multispecies Plume Migration

A parsimonious analytical model for rapidly predicting the plume behavior of the decaying contaminant is presented in this study. Generalized analytical solutions in compact format are derived for the two-dimensional advection-dispersion equations coupled with sequential first-order decay reactions involving an arbitrary number of species in groundwater system. Explicit form solutions for a special case are derived using the generalized analytical solutions. The solutions are applied for assessing plume behaviors of dissolved chlorinated solvents in groundwater systems. It is suggested that retardation coefficients, decay rate constants and the predecessor species plume distribution mainly govern the order of plume size in groundwater.