89 / 2024-01-06 23:32:38

Study on Remediation Alternatives for La Guacamaya Industrial Zone-Aquifer, Valencia Lake Basin, Venezuela

remediation,aquifer,drinking water pumping wells,air sparging,soil vapor extraction

The objective of this research is to evaluate remediation alternatives for La Guacamaya Industrial Zone -Aquifer (LGIZA), Carabobo State, Venezuela. Information about soil lithological profiles (SLPs) and hydrogeological characteristics of drinking water pumping wells (DWPWs) for Carabobo state were obtained from Ministry of Ecosocialism. Alos Palsar Digital Elevation Model was acquired from Alaska Satellite Facility. Land use and land cover (LULC) map was produced from processing Landsat 8OLI satellite image acquired on 2017-10-03 under world reference system with path 005 and row 53, using ENVI 4.7 software. Water samples were captured in seven DWPWs located in residential and industrial zones in LGIZA. Physicochemical analysis were made in Hydrolab Toro Laboratory Company. Simulation of underground flow and the plume of the pollutant were obtained from processing data with Model Muse 3.10.0.0 and ArcGIS 10.0. LGIZA has an area of 5,470 ha having as final fate to Valencia Lake. Examined DWPWs corresponded to CABEL Company (N10º09’18.6”, W68º01’53.6”, 492 masl –meters above sea level-), ENCAVA Company (N10º09’08.3”, W68º02’04.8”, 475 masl), CERÁMICA CARABOBO Company (N10º09’29.3”, W68º01’36.3”, 408 masl), Los Caobos Butchery (N10º09’31.1”, W68º01’15.8”, 491 masl), Salas-Moreno Family (N10º09’28.8”, W68º01’22.9”, 480 masl), El Prado Fuel Service Station (N10º09’34”, W68º01’25.7”, 472 masl), Santa Ana Educational Unit (N10º08’53.5”, W68º01’33.2”, 464 masl). In the area of LGIZA where DWPWs were placed the following characteristics were found: 1) Geological formation was of quaternary alluvial type. 2) Water network presented order ranging between 1 and 3 and DWPW were placed at the head of LG subbasin. 3) LGIZA resulted of confined type. It was determined from analyzing 6 SLPs with a maximum depth of 156 mbgs (meters below ground surface), finding alternated strata of clayey and sandy soil. 4) LGIZA-LULC were classified as natural soil (2.42%, 130.4 ha), vegetation (35.3%, 1915.2 ha), urban (61.6%, 3,339.5 ha), agricultural (0.67%, 36.45 ha). 5) Water static levels varied varied between 445 and 527 masl. 6) Water dynamic levels varied between 358 and 480 masl. 7) Permeability varied between 138 and 153 m/d. 8) Hydraulic gradient varied varied between 0 and 10%. )) Transmisivity was estimated from high to very high (1,000 m²/d). In 5 of 7 DWPWs monitored, water contained volatile organic compounds consisting of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons – Gasoline Organic Range (TPH-GRO), Benzene, Toluene and Xylene, making it unsuitable for human consumption. Remediation alternative proposed for the LGIZA groundwater was a combination between Air Sparging into the aquifer and Subsoil Vapor Extraction.