Agnes Scott College

James W. Weaver and Freda Porter-Locklear

Estimating the Rate of Natural Bioattenuation of Ground Water Contaminants by a Mass Conservation Approach
SIAM Review, Vol. 40, No. 1 (March 1998), 113-117

Accepted for publication November 1, 1996

Abstract

Recent field and experimental research has shown that certain classes of subsurface contaminants can biodegrade at many sites. A number of factors influence the rate of biodegradation, which helps determine the ultimate extent of contamination. Estimation of degradation rate constants is necessary for determining the impact of contaminants on environmental receptors. The purpose of this note is to show one method for estimating rate constants from field data that relies upon application of a standard solution of a linear ordinary differential equation (ODE).