DEVELOPMENT AND LABORATORY TESTING OF NOVEL GROUNDWATER TRACER PARTICLES

Understanding the flow paths and fracture sizes in karst aquifers are important parameters when it comes to managing water resources. Water management practices, such as managed aquifer recharge, are best performed if an aquifer is well characterized. Field fracture aperture data can give insights into what kind of contaminants the aquifer may transport. Currently, there are few tracer options that are able to characterize the fracture size of karst groundwater systems, and few that are well suited to tracing in a public water supply. In order to solve this problem, a new groundwater tracer particle (GTP), have been developed that are degradable, non-toxic, and customizable for a range of sizes. The sodium alginate, seaweed, based particles have been lab tested in simulated karst systems and their transport characterized. The travel time of the particle tracer was tested against the transport time of a more traditional salt tracer. The GTP production and laboratory testing will be discussed.