• Feasibility of Diffusive Gradients in Thin Films for Monitoring Heavy Metals in Groundwater

  • Kyu-Young Shim1, Kwangjin Park2, Seungwoo Lee2, Jongmin Choi2, Subin Choi2, Jinsung An1,3*, Kyoungphile Nam4

  • 1Department of Smart City Engineering, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, South Korea
    2Daeil Engineering & Consulting Co., LTD
    3Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, South Korea
    4Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, South Korea

  • 지하수 내 중금속 모니터링을 위한 diffusive gradients in thin films의 적용 가능성 평가

  • 심규영1·박광진2·이승우2·최종민2·최수빈2·안진성1,3*·남경필4

  • 1한양대학교 ERICA 스마트시티공학과
    2(주)대일이앤씨
    3한양대학교 ERICA 건설환경공학과
    4서울대학교 건설환경공학부

  • This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) are passive sampling devices used to determine the time-weighted average concentrations (TWAC) of contaminants. To ensure accurate performance in groundwater, it is crucial to identify environmental characteristics and maintain optimal operational conditions. This study examined the deployment time required to reach effective capacity, the thickness of the diffusive boundary layer (DBL) under stagnant water conditions, and biofilm formation on the DGT surface using groundwater samples. When using DGT with Chelex gel (A=3.14 cm²), the effective capacity was 0.7 mg for Cd and 250 mg for Zn, with a deployment time of 24 h. Lower Cd accumulation was due to the competition effect of coexisting ions. The DBL thickness under stagnant conditions was 0.074 cm, 93% of the diffusion gel's thickness (0.08 cm). Neglecting DBL thickness in TWAC calculations led to a 79% decrease in the determined concentration. No biofouling was observed during the 28-d DGT deployment in groundwater. In conclusion, it is essential to consider the appropriate deployment time, DBL thickness, and biofilm formation to ensure accurate DGT performance in determining contaminant levels in groundwater.


Keywords: diffusive gradients in thin films, deployment time, effective capacity, diffusive boundary layer, biofilm

This Article

  • 2024; 29(4): 12-20

    Published on Aug 30, 2024

  • 10.7857/JSGE.2024.29.4.012
  • Received on Jul 19, 2024
  • Revised on Jul 25, 2024
  • Accepted on Aug 16, 2024

Correspondence to

  • Jinsung An

  • 1Department of Smart City Engineering, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, South Korea
    3Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, Ansan 15588, South Korea

  • E-mail: jsan86@hanyang.ac.kr