An integrated monitoring approach to evaluating the incidental remediation of VOC-contaminated groundwater

An integrated monitoring approach to evaluating the incidental remediation of VOC-contaminated groundwater | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article An integrated monitoring approach to evaluating the incidental remediation of VOC-contaminated groundwater Nunzio Romano, Mario Palladino, Benedetto Sica, Benjamin Mary, and 5 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8956905/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been identified as a major source of groundwater contamination worldwide. However, assessing the potential exploitation of a contaminated phreatic aquifer has been somewhat limited in the past, especially because integrated monitoring activities are required to elucidate the dynamics of vadose zone processes and their interactions with the atmosphere. The present paper presents and discusses the findings of a pilot study carried out in a contaminated site, where poplar trees were cultivated for phytoremediation purposes, to evaluate the efficacy of two irrigation systems in reducing VOC concentrations in groundwater exiting an irrigation well. The dynamics of unsaturated zone processes within a 1.0-m-deep soil profile were monitored by measuring soil-water contents and matric heads. Geophysical techniques provided high-resolution 2D and 3D time-lapse images of subsurface soil electrical resistivity, extending down to a depth of 10 m below ground. The monitoring of VOC concentrations in the aquifer and outgoing nozzle waters, as well as in the air above the study area, proved to be of the utmost importance. Vegetation responses during the experimental period were obtained indirectly through the use of an electronic dendrometer. The integrated monitoring activities presented in this study have demonstrated how valuable information can be obtained today at affordable costs, providing a comprehensive perspective of the complex contamination processes in an agroecosystem. The use of these datasets has been exemplified by their implementation in simulating the transport processes in soil associated with two growing seasons of maize irrigated with a drip system fed by groundwater contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE). This simulation was performed using the Hydrus-1D model. volatile organic compounds groundwater vulnerability irrigation unsaturated zone hydrogeophysics Hydrus-1D Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8956905","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":597992027,"identity":"59b0f6b9-6a1f-4b81-8a29-17f455aed490","order_by":0,"name":"Nunzio 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