Anion exclusion during transport through the unsaturated zone

Haim Gvirtzman*, Daniel Ronen, Mordeckai Magaritz

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

71 Scopus citations

Abstract

A 20-year chronological record of the flow of water and anions, along 27 m, in the unsaturated zone of a phreatic aquifer was reconstructed. Water was traced according to its tritium content, using the difference between the environmental tritium content of rain and irrigation water. Anions were traced using data about their sequential input to the overlying cultivated field and their concentration in the profile. Evidences of anion exlcusion were found along a 10-m thick clay loam layer. The vertical velocities of water molecules and anions (SO2-4 and Cl-) were calculated to be 0.7 ± 0.05 and 1.35 ± 0.05 m yr-, respectively. The average thickness of the water films and the equivalent distance of exclusion, at a 15% gravimetric water content, were 25 and 12 Å, respectively. These field data fit and support the theoretical relationship between the water film thickness and the relative exclusion concentration proposed by Bresler (1973).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)267-283
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Hydrology
Volume87
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - 30 Oct 1986
Externally publishedYes

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