Project Description
Project Objectives: Contamination of groundwater by uranium salts is a problem of interest for EPA. Recently, researchers have observed uranium salts tend to get stored in the unsaturated vadose zone right above the water table in the ground. Such deposited salt has the potential to contaminate the groundwater repeatedly during rains when down coming water passing through the vadose zone washes the salt back into groundwater. Our hypothesis for the phenomenon behind this salt formation is that this is happening because uranium rich groundwater travels upwards in the capillary fringe through wicking and then gets deposited due to salt crystallization due to evaporation near the surface. We would like to design an experiment to test this hypothesis. Since uranium salts may pose health hazards, we would like to work with the ordinary harmless salts such as the common salt (NaCl). We will investigate the intricate process of wicking of salt solution through a vertical porous column modeling the vadose zone, and the subsequent crystallization of salts in it due to evaporation. By utilizing materials like silt, gravel, and other soil compositions, the project seeks to understand how these media affect the process.
Tasks and Responsibilites
None Listed.
Desired Qualifications
None Listed.