FATE OF  DDT  AND  NITRATE
        IN  GROUND WATER
      U. S. DEPARTMENT  OF  THE INTERIOR
FEDERAL  WATER POLLUTION CONTROL  ADMINISTRATION
    ROBERT S. KERR  WATER RESEARCH  CENTER
              ADA, OKLAHOMA


      US. DEPARTMENT  OF AGRICULTURE
    SOIL  AND  WATER  CONSERVATION  DIVISION
        AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
  SOUTHWESTERN  GREAT PLAINS RESEARCH CENTER
              BUSHLAND, TEXAS
                APRIL  1968

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            FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE IN GROUND WATER
                               by
 Marion R.  Scalf,-   Victor  L, .Hauser,-  Leslie G^McMillion,-
          William J. Dunlap,-   and Jack W.  Keeley-
-^Research Sanitary Engineer, Robert S. Kerr Water Research Center,
  Federal Water Pollution Control Administration, U. S. Department
  of the Interior, Ada, Oklahoma.
-^Research Agricultural Engineer, Southwestern Great Plains Research
  Center, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of
  Agriculture, Bushland, Texas.
-^Head, Pollution Fate Section, Ground Water Research Program, Robert S.
  Kerr Water Research Center, Federal Water Pollution Control Adminis-
  tration, U. S. Department of the Interior, Ada, Oklahoma.
-/Research Chemist, Robert S. Kerr Water Research Center, Federal Water
  Pollution Control Administration, U. S. Department of the Interior,
  Ada, Oklahoma.
-Chief, Ground Water Research Program, Robert S. Kerr Water Research
  Center, Federal Water Pollution Control Administration, U. S.
  Department of the Interior, Ada, Oklahoma.

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                             PREFACE
     The intelligent management of water resources in the United States
is necessarily based on considerations of both quantity and quality.

     An attractive possibility for the conservation of areal water
exists in the Southern High Plains of northwestern Texas and eastern
New Mexico where surface runoff is collected in natural basins called
playas.  To prevent extensive losses by evaporation, this runoff water
could be injected into the Ogallala Aquifer, the area's major water
supply.

     Although most of the ground water pumped in this area is used for
irrigation of agricultural lands, many cities and towns and thousands
of farmers also pump water from the same aquifer for household use.
The water supply available for recharge is mostly runoff water from
agricultural lands and may contain chemicals harmful to man or animals.
There is justifiable concern over the safety of drinking water supplies
exposed to these chemicals and other pollutants.  However, there is a
notable lack of reliable data and facts concerning the movement,
degradation, and disappearance of toxic materials which are used on
watersheds and may enter ground waters by ground-water recharge.  This
report is intended to illuminate part of the darkness now surrounding
the subject.

     This project was unique from a standpoint other than its concern
with ground-water quality and the corresponding hydraulics of recharge
operations—the United States Departments of the Interior and of
Agriculture combined their diverse facilities and human competencies.

     Under formal agreement, personnel of the Robert S. Kerr Water
Research Center, U. S. Department of the Interior, and of the South-
western Great Plains Research Center, U. S. Department of Agriculture,
worked together on field and laboratory phases of this project as well
as report preparation.

     This cooperation paid off in a number  of ways.  The area of
research was of mutual concern and, since each agency contributed
certain facilities and services that were not readily available to
the other, the project moved with greater efficiency, at reduced cost,
and produced highly satisfactory results.   This union of resources
demonstrated the research economy and professional compatibility
needed in practical resources conservation  and management.

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                       PROJECT  DESCRIPTION
     The  objectives of  this  project  were as  follows:

     1.   To determine the distance and manner in which DDT  and  nitrate
         move from a well that  is  being recharged;

     2.   To determine the degree to  which the aquifer will  adsorb  DDT
         and nitrate;

     3.   To study the manner in which DDT and nitrate are released
         from an aquifer by  pumping  a well which has  been recharged
         for a specified time with water containing measured concen-
         trations of these substances; and

     4.   To perform these tests under conditions where recharge rates,
         discharge rates, water-level fluctuations, and the physical
         and hydraulic characteristics of the aquifer are described
         and recorded sufficiently so as to  extend results  of this
         project to other ground-water situations.
                                     s
     The field facilities of the Southwestern Great Plains  Research
Center at Bushland, Texas were selected as the site for conduct of
this project.  This site offered the following conditions and advan-
tages:

     1.   It contained a large-capacity well that could be used for
         recharging the Ogallala Formation and could also be pumped
         at high rates.

     2.   There were several very well  constructed observation wells
         at varying distances from  the recharge well where water
         samples could be collected during the test.  Only one
         additional observation well was considered to be needed.

     3.   An irrigation well capable of providing adequate water for the
         recharge  phase was present.   This well was far enough from the
         recharge well that the influence of its pumping would not
         affect conditions  resulting  from recharge operations.

     4.   Thorough  and accurate geologic  and hydraulic,  information on
         the aquifer had already been obtained by personnel at the
         Southwestern Great Plains  Research  Center.

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5.  Aquifer conditions at this site were believed to be fairly
    representative of many of the heavily pumped areas of the
    Ogallala, particularly of those where playa water is
    available for recharge,

6.  The point at which recharge water would enter the receiving
    formation was so far removed from any domestic or stock wells
    and so distant from any privately-owned lands that the tests
    would pose no pollutional hazards.
                           iii

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                         ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
     In projects of this nature, it is important that a full measure
of appreciation be extended to those who contributed significantly
to the project's successful completion.

     These people are:

          From the Robert S. Kerr Water Research Center:

               Bert E. Bledsoe, Chemist
               Michael L. Cook, Physical Science Technician
               Roger L. Cosby, Chemist
               Billy L. DePrater, Research Chemist
               Montie H. Fraser, Engineering Technician
               Bruce W. Maxwell* Research Geologist
               James F. McNabb, Microbiologist
               Leon H. Myers, Research Chemist
               Bobby D, Newport, Physical Science Technician
               Tommy N. Redman, Engineering Aid

          From the Southwestern Great Plains Research Center:

               Ordie R. Jones, Hydraulic Engineering Technician
               Oliver R. Lehman, Agricultural Research Technician
               Donald C. Signor, Agricultural Engineer
               Robert 0. Toland, Core Drill Operator
                                 iv

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                        TABLE OF CONTENTS


Chapter                                                       Page

PREFACE 	         i

PROJECT DESCRIPTION ... 	        ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS	        iv

LIST OF FIGURES	      vii

LIST OF TABLES	        ix

I.     INTRODUCTION 	         1

       General Extent and Cause of Problem  	         1
       DDT in Ground Water	         1
       Nitrates in Ground Water 	         4
       Areal Description of the Ogallala Formation  ...         5

II.    FIELD INSTRUMENTATION AND PROCEDURES 	         8

       Physical Description 	         8
       Instrumentation   	         9
       Well Construction	        10
       Injection and Pumping Procedures 	        11

III.   HYDRAULICS AND GEOLOGY	        13

       Hydrogeology of the Field Site	        13
       Hydraulics	        14

IV.    POLLUTIONAL PARAMETERS	        18

       Recharge of Pollutants 	        18
       Methods of Sampling	        19
       Methods of Analysis	        21

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Chapter


V.     RESULTS OF ANALYSES  ................      26

                                                                O £
       Tracer Recovery  ..................
       Nitrate Recovery
       DDT Recovery
VI.    SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS  ..............     40


VII.   BIBLIOGRAPHY  ....................     43
                                 vi

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Figure
  No.    Title
LIST OF FIGURES


                                   Follows
                                    Page

                                      6
1-1      Southern Ogallala Formation

II-l     Southwestern Great Plains Research Center             8
          Facilities

II-2     Location Map of Field Site                            8

II-3     Chemical Feed System                                  °

II-4     Cross  Section of Mixing Chamber                       9

II-5     Cross  Section of Recharge-Pumping Well                9

II-6     Slot-Type  Sand  Sampler                               10

H-7     Recharge Rate of Recharge-Pumping Well               12

HI-1   Particle Size Distribution                          13

III-2   Electric and Gamma Logs                              ^

III-3   Storage and Transmissibility by Modified            15
           Theis Formula
                                                              Of)
 IV-1    Portable Pump  System                                ^u

 IV-2    Mobile Laboratory and Gas Chromatograph             21

 IV-3     AutoAnalyzer and Liquid Scintillation System        21

 IV-4     Gas Chromatogram Obtained in Analysis of             23
           Recharge Water

 IV-5     Structural Formula of Principal DDT Isomers          24*

 V-l      Tracer Dispersion During Recharge                    26


 *0n  page 24.
                                  vii

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Figure                                                      Follows
  No.    Title                                               Page

V-2      Determination of Detention Time Using                27
          Tritiated Water

V-3      Determination of Detention Time                      27

V-4      Tracer Recovery While Pumping Well No.  1             27

V-5      Nitrate Behavior—Well No. 1                         28

V-6      Nitrate Behavior—Well No. 2                         28

V-7      Nitrate Behavior—Well No. 3                         28

V-8      Comparison of Nitrate and Tritiated Water            29
          Transport

V-9      DDT Recharge Concentration                           32

V-10     DDT Concentration After Pumping Begins               33

V-ll     DDT Concentration After Pumping Begins               33

V-12     Analysis of DDT Adsorption on Ogallala               36
          Sand

V-13     Rate of Sand Production After Pumping                37
          Begins
                               viii

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                          LIST OF TABLES


Table                                                       Follows
 No.     Title                                               page

III-l    Wet and Dry Sieve Comparison                         14

III-2    Core Analyses of Ogallala                            14

V-l      Rate of DDT Recovery on Sand After Pumping           37*
          Began


*0n page 37.
                                 ix

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                         I.  INTRODUCTION






               General Extent and Cause of Problem




     Increasing demands on the water resources of the High Plains area




of West Texas and Eastern New Mexico have given rise to the very real




possibility of storing water underground.  This would be accomplished




by recharging the Ogallala Aquifer—the area's major source of water.




Water storage in aquifers is highly desirable because large storage




volumes are available, water is available wherever the aquifer exists,




little or no water is lost from aquifers by evaporation, ground-water




quality is usually good, ground waters are not easily polluted, and




often there is no other feasible storage site.




     Artificial recharge practices give rise  to concern that ground




water may be contaminated by undesirable substances introduced with




the recharge water.




     Pesticides and nitrates are of particular importance  in future




recharge programs because  of their association with agricultural




practices in the High Plains area.




     This report presents  findings concerned  with the  fate of DDT and




nitrate under  actual recharge  conditions  in the Ogallala Aquifer.






                        DDT in  Ground  Water




     The extent of ground-water pollution with pesticides  is not known




at this time;  however,  they are used  in  every section  of  the  country

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and, hence, are potential pollutants in all states.  Artificial




recharge is carried out to some extent in all sections of the country




and as water use increases will become more important and widespread,




creating increased opportunity for pollution of ground water.




     The movement of pesticides through an aquifer from a recharge




well and the concentration  of these compounds in water subsequently




pumped from the aquifer will obviously be greatly affected by the degree




of adsorption of the pesticides by aquifer solids.  The adsorption of




pesticides on aquifer particles is a complex phenomenon involving many




variables.  Little work has been done concerning pesticide adsorption




and saturated ground-water flow in aquifers, but there is considerable




literature dealing with the behavior of pesticides in soils  and surface




waters/1'2'3'4'"



     Extrapolation of soil research to aquifers indicates that the mineral




composition of particles  constituting an  aquifer will strongly affect




adsorption.  Increasing proportions of clays, particularly the mont-




morillionites, would be expected to result in greater adsorption




because of the ionic nature and large surface areas  of these substances.




Aquifers generally, however, have  a low clay content and high percentages




of sand or coarser material likely to be  of lesser adsorptive capacity.




Amorphous and  crystalline hydroxides and  oxides of aluminum,  iron,  and




silica, which  have large  surface areas, would likewise be expected  to




increase adsorption capacities of  aquifer particles.  Such compounds

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are present in minor, but possibly important, amounts in the aquifer




material of the Ogallala.  Also, the presence of organic matter will




greatly increase adsorption, but organic matter is very low in the




Ogallala.



     Pore size and pore concentration in an aquifer will affect the




adsorption characteristics because of their influence on adsorbate-




adsorbent distances  and their influence on the rate of flow past any




given particle.  It  would appear from a mass action and solubility




standpoint that the  greater  the volume of water moving past a point




in a given unit of time, the greater will be the desorption.




     Temperature and pH are  also likely to be of importance in the




adsorption of pesticides in  an aquifer.  Generally, such adsorption




would be expected to increase with decreases in both  temperature and




pH.



     Finally, the nature of  the ads orb ate will obviously be a primary




factor in determining the degree of adsorption.  Different pesticides




will be  adsorbed to  different  degrees on identical adsorbents because




of differences  in  the chemical structures of pesticide molecules and




the resulting variations in  affinities  for  adsorbent  and solute.  It




seems probable  that  within  a given  family of pesticides the adsorption




will be  inversely  proportional to water solubility.




     DDT was  chosen  as a representative pesticide  for use  in  this




study because  of  its relatively  low  toxicity,  its  persistence,  and

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its membership in the family of chlorinated hydrocarbons which are


widely used.  If the factors likely to affect adsorption of pesticides



are carefully considered, it is believed that results obtained in this


investigation may be employed as a guideline in considering the possible


fate of other chlorinated hydrocarbons such as dieldrin and endrin under



similar conditions.




                     Nitrates in Ground Water


     Nitrates were  incorporated in this study because of the health



aspects in  regard to both humans and  animals.


     The  cause of infant cyanosis  (methemoglobinemia) or blue babies



has long  been attributed to nitrates  in water supplies.   '   In  this


case, nitrate is first converted to nitrite  in  the intestinal tract;


the nitrite is then absorbed into  the blood  stream where it  combines


with hemoglobin, thus  depriving  the organs and  tissues  of  needed



oxygen.


     In addition,  there is  evidence  that high nitrate water can


produce intestinal pathological conditions resulting in chemical

          fo\

diarrhea.


     For  human  consumption, the U.  S. Public Health Service has



established drinking water limits  of  45 mg/1 nitrates.   There is,


however,  increasing evidence that  even this  limit can significantly


 affect  both animals and humans,  and some reports show harmful effect


                                   ,.  (9,10)
with  concentrations as low as 5 mg/l.

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     Nitrates occur in almost all natural waters.      Concentrations




range up to hundreds of mg/1; but, except when contamination is present,




they seldom exceed 20 mg/1, with 10 mg/1 or greater often regarded as




a probable indication of sewage contamination.




     The use of nitrogen fertilizers accounts for 30% of our food




production.   '     Such widespread use has caused some speculation




as to possible pollution of surface and ground water from the




application or over-application of nitrogen fertilizers.   '




     The nitrate ion does not readily adsorb but, rather, moves freely




through the aquifer.  Although movement is not completely free, inhi-




bition by the aquifer material is minute.  The presence of anaerobic




bacteria can convert nitrates to nitrites so that less nitrate will be




recovered from a system than is added to it.  It is generally believed




that these bacteria are not normally active in aquifers, especially at




depths characteristic of the Ogallala, and would be expected to have




little effect on the nitrate content of the water.






           Areal Description of jhe Ogallala Formation




     The Ogallala Formation is truly one of the large ground-water




reservoirs of the world.  Paralleling the eastern front of the Rocky




Mountains, it extends from southern South Dakota to southwest Texas,




a distance of some 825 miles.  East to west, it averages about 190




miles in width.  Its total area of about 158,000 square miles covers

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parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South




Dakota, Wyoming, and Texas.  This total area is about the size of the




state of California.



     Although these figures of geographic expanse are highly impressive,




the formation is also of great economic importance to its region in




that it is the principal source of  fresh water and because much of




its surface exposure is comprised of rich, level soils highly suited




to irrigated agriculture.  Because  of this combination of water and




soils, in recent years the region has been developed into one of the




largest and more productive irrigation areas in the nation.




     Since current  data on overall  development  and use of ground water




from the Ogallala Formation are not readily available, the  situation




in the High Plains  of Texas,  south  of the Canadian River, will be




discussed briefly to illustrate the economic significance of  the




Formation.  The Ogallala  covers 24,800 square miles  in this area as




shown  in Figure 1-1.  Rayner      in 1965 reported that about  45,000




irrigation wells, 650 municipal wells and  400  industrial water  supply




wells  are developed in  this part  of the  Ogallala, and about four




million  acre-feet of water per year is pumped  from  these wells—an




amount four  times the  total annual  use  for  the state of  Oklahoma.




     Water-yielding characteristics of  the  Ogallala are  adequate  for




development  of  large-capacity wells throughout its  geographic extent




except in  those areas where  river valleys  dissect  the  formation and

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         COLORADO
                           KANSAS
NEW MEXICO
                                        OKLAHOMA

                                         SPRING
           Fine Textured Soils
Sondy Soils
Little Or No Water
In  Ogallola  Formation
Sand Dunes
                                     MILES
                                               100
                          FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE  IN GROUND WATER
                        SOUTHERN   OGALLALA  FORMATION
                  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
                  AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
                     SOUTHWESTERN  GREAT PLAINS
                        RESEARCH  CENTER
                         BUSHLAND.TEX AS
                                  US. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
                                    FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION
                                     CONTROL  ADMINISTRATION
                                          ROBERT S. KERR
                                      WATER RESEARCH CENTER
                                  	ADA, OKLAHOMA	
                                                        FIGURE   I-l

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in certain localities where water-saturated thickness of the formation




is thin or nonexistent.  The formation consists of river-deposited




clay, silt, sand, and gravel.  Even though continuity of layering is




difficult to trace for more than a few miles, the physical appearance




of the formation from one locality to another is surprisingly similar.




For example, the outcrop near Ogallala, Nebraska, where the formation




was officially first described and from which town its name is derived,




very much resembles formation outcrops in the eastern escarpment of




the High Plains east of Lubbock, Texas.




     However, hydraulic characteristics of the formation may vary




greatly from one locality to another.  Such variations often result




from differences in saturated thickness, but more often result from




the presence of beds of well sorted coarse materials such as sand




and gravel.

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            II.  FIELD INSTRUMENTATION AND PROCEDURES






                       Physical Description




     This research was conducted at the Southwestern Great Plains




Research Center at Bushland, Texas.  Recharge and observation wells




were located in a large play a depression near the edge of a dry




playa lake as shown in Figures II-l and II-2.  The bottom of this




lake consists of an impermeable clay layer which varies in thickness




from 4 to 30 feet and prevents or greatly inhibits vertical percola-




tion into the soil and ground water.




     The recharge water was supplied by an irrigation well located




2,280 feet northeast of the recharge area.  Water from this source




well was transported by irrigation pipe through two parallel sand




traps, two propeller meters, and into  the recharge well.  The sand




filters collected several hundred pounds of sand from the recharge




water, preventing possible filling of  the recharge well.




     A constant head of 5 psi at the point of injection was main-




tained in the  injection pipes at the ground surface by an overflow




pipe located near the sand traps.




     Two chemical mixing tanks were alternately connected to a




piston-type chemical feed pump which delivered about three gallons




per hour of nitrate, DDT, tritium  and  water mixture  to the recharge




pipe as shown  in Figure II-3.  A mixing chamber containing an auger

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                    •1-40 8  U.S. 66
                        Underground
                        Concrete —••
                        Pipeline
Recharge Area—*
                Aluminum Pipeline
                On Surf
                                           Irrigation
                                            Well
                                          K
                                          m
                                          L
                                          c
                                          C
        500
   Scale In Feet
                tooo
                             FATE  OF DDT AND  NITRATE IN GROUND WATER

                            SOUTHWESTERN  GREAT  PLAINS
                             RESEARCH  CENTER  FACILITIES
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

                    AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
                       SOUTHWESTERN
                           RESEARCH
GREAT PLAINS
CENTER
                            BUSHLAND, TEXAS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

   FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION
    CONTROL ADMINISTRATION

         ROBERT S. KERR
     WATER RESEARCH CENTER

	ADA, OKLAHOMA	
                                                            FIGURE   II-I

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     Overflow  And
     Constant Head
     Control
Basin- Used only for
     waste water
                                          Mixing Tank  8 Injection Point
                               pp  RPP    f
                       	"	*—*—*&
                    Fi£in$r-i—"®i
                      Sand Sampler
                                            pp— Propeller Flow Meter
                                            RPP-Recording Propeller Row Meter

                                             —Recharge Well

                                             	Observation Well
                       FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE IN GROUND WATER
                      LOCATION   MAP  OF  FIELD  SITE
              U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

              AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
  FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION
   CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
        ROBERT S. KERR
     WATER RESEARCH CENTER
        ADA, OKLAHOMA
                     BUSHLAND, TEXAS
                                                       FIGURE  II-2

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        FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE  IN GROUND WATER

        CHEMICAL   FEED  SYSTEM
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
SOUTHWESTERN
   RESEARCH
              GREAT PLAINS
              CENTER
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

  FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION
   CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
        ROBERT S KERR
    WATER RESEARCH CENTER
        ADA, OKLAHCMA
                                      FIGURE
                                             -3

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system shown in Figure II-4, immediately provided turbulence for




mixing the pollutants and tracer with the recharge water before




injection into the recharge well.




     Recharge of the well was through two 2-inch pipes connected to




the mixing chamber and terminating  145 feet below the ground surface.




During recharge operations, the ends of both pipes were submerged




in the well at all times.  Figure II-5 presents a cross section of




the recharge well and injection pipes.  To prevent air entrainment




difficulties, it was necessary to maintain a positive pressure at




all points in the injection system.  A streamlined plug was suspended




on a  cable from the end  of each pipe, and the plug was positioned




so as to maintain this positive pressure.



      The recharge-pumping well was  equipped with a water-lubricated




deep-well turbine pump powered by  a V8 internal combustion  engine.




This  system had a pumping capacity  of more than 1,000 gpm for




prolonged periods of  time.






                          Ins trumentation




      Two propeller-type  meters were used to measure  the  flow rate  of




the recharge water.   One of  the meters was  connected to  a recording




rate  meter which maintained a continuous record of the  flow throughout




 the 22-day  recharge-pumping period.  A third meter was  also used in




measuring  the  flow rate during  the pumping  phase  of  the experiment.




The differences  in measurements  between the different meters were




within the factory specified plus or minus  2 percent precision for




 the meters.

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                ro
20"Auger
Left  Rot.
Pressure.
 Gage
*1
                       •Flow Straightening
                           Vanes
                       20" Auger Right Rotation
                         Chemica
                          Inlet
                                  SECTION A-A
                      .Chemical Injection
                          Point
          FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE IN GROUND WATER

     CROSS-SECTION  OF  MIXING  CHAMBER
U.& DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE

    SOUTHWESTERN GREAT  PLAINS
        RESEARCH CENTER

         BUSHL AN D.TEXAS
                             US. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

                                FEDERAL  WATER POLLUTION
                                 CONTROL ADMINISTRATION

                                      ROBERT S. KERR
                                  WATER  RESEARCH CENTER
                                      ADA, OKLAHOMA
                                         FIGURE  II-4

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Recharge Water
   Inlet

       Flange
                                                         Pump Base
                                           Stuffing
                                            Box
                      2 X,Pipe
                                                   I    !
                    16   Well
                    Casing

                  2" Steel Pipe
                      '/e" Cable
                        Plug
                                           8 Pump
                                           Column
                                 FATE OF DDT AND  NITRATE  IN GROUND WATER

                        CROSS-SECTION  OF  RECHARGE - PUMPING   WELL
                        U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

                         AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE

                           SOUTHWESTERN  GREAT PLAINS
                               RESEARCH CENTER

                                BUSHLAND, TEXAS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

  FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION
   CONTROL  ADMINISTRATION

         ROBERT S, KERR
     WATER RESEARCH CENTER

	ADA, OKLAHOMA	
                                                                 FIGURE  II-5

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                                                              10






     Float-operated water level recorders were used continuously in




Wells No. 5 and 7 and four others located between 250 and 1,000 feet




from the recharge well.  Water levels were measured in Wells No. 3, 4,




and 6 several times each day with an electric well sounder.  This




method was also used on five other wells in the test area.  Air-




operated bubbler-gauge recorders were used to record water levels in




Well No. 1 and in a 2-inch well located 90 feet south.




     To measure the sand produced by Well No. 1 during the pumping




phase of the experiment, the flow was diverted through a "T11 and




into a slot type sampler shown in Figure II-6.






                        Well Construction




     Well No. 1, the re charge-pump ing well, was drilled 28 inches  in




diameter and 269 feet  in depth by conventional hydraulic  rotary




drilling methods.  The well screen  and  1/4-inch casing were  16 inches




in outside diameter.   Continuously  wound galvanized  steel wire screen




spanned 90 feet of the well from  161  to 253 feet below the ground




surface, terminating above the clay layer.  Gravel pack,  designed  to




hold the formation in  place during  pumping or recharge, filled  the




annulus around  the well  screen.   Concrete  filled 16  feet  of  the




casing below  the screen  and extended  into  the clay layer.  Concrete




was also placed between  the casing  and  the drilled hole from the




surface  to a  depth of  92  feet.

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        FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE IN GROUND WATER

     SLOT   TYPE    SAND    SAMPLER
U.S. DEPARTMENT  OF AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
   SOJThWESTERri GREAT  PLAINS
      RESEARCH CENTER
              ,TEXAS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
 FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION
  CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
        ROBERT S KERS
    WATER RESEARCH CENTER
        ADA, OKLAHOMA
                                      FIGURE  11-6

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                                                                 11




     Observation Wells No. 2 through 7 were drilled by conventional




hydraulic rotary drilling methods to depths ranging from 270 to 354




feet and were lined with 6-inch casings.  All casings except Well




No. 4 were slotted by acetylene cutting torch from about 100 feet




below the surface to depths ranging from 265 to 354 feet and surrounded




by gravel pack.  Well No. 4 had special factory made casing slots,




from 160 to 260 feet below the surface, designed to hold back formation




sand without gravel pack.



     Wells No. 1, 3, and  5 had been used in previous experiments by




USDA for recharge of playa lake water.    '     Following these




operations, bailing of  the wells  produced several  cubic yards of




sand.   Cavities created outside Wells  No. 3 and 5  were later filled




with gravel.



     Several 2-inch wells in  the  vicinity of  the  recharge  well were




used for water level measurements.  These wells were  developed by




air-lift pumping  and  consisted of a 2-inch  pipe and 2-inch by  2-foot




well points installed  inside  a 4  1/2-inch  drilled hole.  Water  level




response was the  same  as  that in  the  6-inch wells  which  fully




penetrated the  aquifer.






                  Infection and Pumping Procedures




     On the day before the project started, water was recharged into




 the injection  well for a few hours to adjust all the flow control




 equipment  and  minimize start-up adjustments.

-------
                                                              12






     Recharge started at 9:15 a.m. on October 31, 1967, and addition




of pollutants started at 10:00 a.m. of the same day.  Recharge continued




at a 10-day average rate of 348 gpm, with fluctuations within plus or




minus 2 percent  (Figure II-7), until 9:58 a.m. on November 10, 1967.




     Following the 10 days of recharge,  the well was  allowed to sit




idle for 3 hours; pumping started at 1:00 p.m. on November 10.  Water




was pumped continuously from  the  recharge well at an  average rate of




504 gpm, plus or minus 2 percent, until  1:00  p.m. on  November 22, 1967.




The pumped water was  transported  by  pipeline  to  a clay bottomed




reservoir and allowed to evaporate.

-------
      in
      o>
      o
b


I

^
w
O

cn
  360
   355
6  350
a
a:

ui
   345
   340

                                                                          10
                                                                          a>
                                                                          o
                                           O
                                           f
                                           O

                                           tn

                                           a.
                                           o

                                           55
                          Average Flow (Recharge)
                             Rate 348.0
                                                                             7
                                         I
                I
    Oct. 31   Nov. I
   456


TIME (NOVEMBER 1967)
                                                                          10
                                  FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE IN GROUND WATER


                           RECHARGE  RATE  OF RECHARGE-PUMPING WELL
                         U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

                          AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE


                            SOUTHWESTERN  GREAT PUAINS
                                RESEARCH CENTER


                                 BUSHLAND.TEXAS
                       US. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

                          FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION
                          CONTROL ADMINISTRATION

                                ROBERT S. KERR
                            WATER RESEARCH CENTER

                                ADA, OKLAHOMA
                                                                 FIGURE   II-7

-------
                   III.  HYDRAULICS AND GEOLOGY






                  Hydrogeology of the Field Site




     The Ogallala Aquifer at the test location is bounded on the top




by caprock at a mean sea level (MSL) elevation of 3,768.3 feet.  The




sandstone caprock, cemented primarily with calcium carbonate, is about




two feet thick over all the area influenced by this experiment.  In




October 1967, the water table stood at  a MSL elevation of 3,635.3 feet,




leaving 133 feet—or more than one-half of the Ogallala—unsaturated.




     The bottom of the aquifer at  the test site  consists of  a dense  clay




layer of extremely low permeability.  This clay  layer has been  found to




be at least three feet thick  in  all  test wells within  1,500  feet of  the




recharge well.  Although  the  top of  clay  is  not  horizontal,  the elevation




varies  less than  five  feet  within a  500-foot radius  of  the  recharge  well.




     The aquifer  in  the  test  area is comprised primarily of  fine sand.




There are numerous  thin  layers  and nodules  of sand cemented with




calcium carbonate and  other acid-soluble cementing agents.   Figure III-l




presents  the  particle-size distribution of undisturbed core samples




from below  the present water table in a test hole 66 feet southwest  of




Well No.  1.   The distributions shown were obtained without crushing  so




as  to  retain cemented nodules in their original size and shape.




      These  nodules vary in size from two sand grains up to one or two




 feet in diameter and have been observed in undisturbed cores and in

-------
O


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 '
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    o 
 L/>  — CJ
 O  £* PI



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   " H(3 I
     3Jr m


  =   II 3
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           CD
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                       98


                       95


                       90



                       80


                       70


                    o 60
                    Z 50

                    % 40

                    £ 30

                    * 20



                        10


                         5
                           TTT
                                       I   T
                                   172-173
                              • I
                              0.1
                                              0.5     1-0
                                                                     ^^^^
                                                                      99* %« 0.5 mm
                                                          200
                                                          0.1              0.5     1.0


                                                           SIEVE  SIZE-MM
     I  I
                                                                                                     // 227-229*

                                                                                                '     / /       __-A-
                                                                                                •ta. ^J  I    *~~
                                                                                             0.1
0.5     1.0

-------
                                                              14




places in the walls of shafts down to 95 feet below the ground surface.


Particle sizes were determined from one set of core samples by two


different methods.  The first group was wet-sieved to preserve cemented


nodules in their natural state while the second group of samples was


dried and crushed with a rubber roller in a steel pan.  Table III-l


presents the difference in percent by weight larger than 0.841 millimeter


in diameter.


     Laboratory permeability, particle size distribution, and carbonate


content from representative core samples are presented in Table III-2.


All of more than  100 core samples analyzed from the test aquifer


contained more than one percent by weight of clay.  Permeability


determined from cores, electric and gamma ray well logs, and driller's


logs indicates a  highly stratified aquifer with a greatly variable


permeability over short vertical distances.  Figure III-2 presents


electric and gamma logs from  the test well 66 feet southwest of


Well No. 1.



                            Hydraulics


     Investigations of ground-water hydraulics necessarily  involve


the parameters of permeability, transmissibility, and storage.


     1.  Coefficient of permeability  (p)  is defined as  the  number


         of gallons per day flowing  through an area of  1 square  foot


         under a  hydraulic  gradient  of  unity  (1  ft/ft)  and  maintains

                                           2
         units of gallons per day  per foot  .

-------
                           Table  III-l

                   Wet and Dry  Sieve  Comparison


                           Percent Larger Than 0.841 mm
Depth
(ft.)
150-152
160-162
172-173
180-182
190-192
200-201
227-229
240-242
250-252
Wet Sieve*
(%)
4.2
<0.9
2.2
<0,75
<0.27
4.0
4.2
10.3
<1.3
Dry Sieve
(crushed)
0.2
0.0
0.6
0.0
0.0
1.3
0.4
0.2
0.2
 *Wet sieve had minimum disturbance; the sample was washed through
  sieves larger than 0.5 mm, and the portion smaller than 0.5 mm
  was sieved dry.

**Dry sieve samples were crushed before dry sieving by a rubber
  roller on a steel surface.  Quartz sand grains were not crushed.

-------
                           Table III-2

                    Core Analyses of Ogallala
Mean Sea
Level
Elevation
(ft.)
3639.2
to
3637.2
3618.2
to
3616.2
3595.7
to
3595.2
Sand
K* >50u
(cm/day) (%)
1,401 feet
87
155
75
93
11
83
30 95
Silt
2-50y
(%)
Clay
>2y C00
fo/\ f°/*\
v™/ \™/
' Comments'

south of recharge well
5
4
2
2
2
1,049 feet west-southwest
3599.9
to
3597.9
3570.4
to
3568.4
0.8 92
29 85
3
4
1.4 6.6
1.4 19.6
2.0 3.0
2.3 12.7
1.2 1.8
of recharge well
2.7 2.3
2.4 8.6
Top
Bottom
Top
Bottom
	


 *Permeability, cm/day.

**Indicates top or bottom of core; permeability is average
  for entire core.

-------
                                    i .
                                   __ _3vj.vlvj.-^----:
  GAMMA RAY
SELF POTENTIAL
 SINGLE  POINT
SIX-FT. LATERAL
                                                         SURFACE  SOIL

                                                         CAP ROCK

                                                         OGALLALA
  1963
  WATER  TABLE
  1967

  LOOSE  SAND WITH ROCK
                      - 300"-
  SAND  AND  ROCK



  CLAY

  SAND  AND  CLAY
                                    FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE IN GROUND WATER
                                   ELECTRIC    AND   GAMMA   LOGS
                           U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

                           AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE

                              SOUTHWESTERN  GREAT PLAINS
                                 RESEARCH CENTER

                                  BUSHLAND, TEXAS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

  FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION
   CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
        ROBERT S. KERR
    WATER RESEARCH CENTER
  	ADA. OKLAHOMA
                                                                  FIGURE  JJE - 2

-------
                                                              15






     2.   Coefficient of transmissibility (T)  is defined as  the number



         of gallons per day flowing through a vertical section of the



         aquifer 1 foot wide under a unit hydraulic gradient (1  ft/



         ft).   It is therefore the product of the permeability



         coefficient and the aquifer's saturated depth in feet.



         The units are gallons per day per foot.



     3.   Coefficient of storage (S ) is defined as the volume of
                                  C*


         water removed from a 1 square foot column of the aquifer



         when the water table is lowered 1 foot.



     These coefficients were determined by the modified Theis



formula     from the recharge portion of this project using water



level observations at  the  recharge well  and four selected observation



wells.  Storage coefficients calculated by this method varied from



0.05 at Well No. 2 to  0.13 at Well No.  7, and  transmissibility



coefficients ranged from 10,266 gpd/ft  using water  levels at  the



recharge well to 22,000 gpd/ft using  levels  at Well No.  7.



     Solution of the Theis formula at Well No.  7, which  most  nearly



satisfies necessary assumptions,  is shown in Figure III-3.  Storage



and  transmissibility coefficients compare favorably with those



determined  in previous recharge experiments  at Bushland and with



those reported  by  Moulder  and  Frazor.

-------
m
OJ
       SB
       c  c
  •3, X

? 53
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     31
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     -•5
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       z   -n
           8
               "
             2m
             m
                           fc

                           J

                           3:   2
                            ac


                            N
                                                                           t0= 1.74  Days
                                      Z =
                                       Theoretical  Curve
                                   where T
                                         WELL NO. 7

                                         Q=348 gpm

                                         r = 300 ft.
                                                                     o
                                                    I
                                                      S.=  (.3)(22,000)(1.74) . n 13
                                                                 (300)2  ,
                                                                                           I
                                      500
                                                  1000                        5000


                                                           RECHARGE  TIME  (Min.)
                                                                                  10000

-------
                                                              16

     There was wide variation in calculated coefficients at Bushland

because observations failed to fit the theoretical formulations used.

This departure has been reported by others, including Moulder and

      (21)
Frazor     who performed recharge tests on the Ogallala Aquifer nine

miles east of the Bushland site.  These authors attribute theoretical

departures to slow filling of the aquifer during recharge and to the

magnitude of the water level rise in relation to the aquifer's

saturated depth.  They concluded that conformance to theoretical

consideration was more closely achieved after longer recharge periods

and at greater distances from the recharge well.  This conformance

would only be realized at some time greater than that used in this

project.

     Moulder and Frazor best pointed out the possible inadequacies in

using this approach to describe this aquifer's characteristics:

     Conditions during the tests departed markedly from
     the conditions set forth in the derivation of the
     analytical equations; therefore, the determinations
     of aquifer coefficients are subject to considerable
     error.  For example, slow drainage or slow filling
     of sediments with water made the data collected
     early in the tests unusable for analysis by the
     nonequilibrium method.  Conformance to theoretical
     conditions takes longer times at greater distances
     from the pumping or recharging well.  Adjustments
     to the basic data may be made to correct or compensate
     for such things as regional water-level trends and
     changes in saturated thickness of the aquifer, but
     the success of these adjustments in determining the
     true aquifer coefficients is dependent largely upon
     the agreement between field conditions and the
     conditions assumed by the adjustments.(2°)

     At Bushlandt another method was employed to calculate the

storage coefficients.  Using detention times calculated from tracer

-------
                                                              17




studies described in Section V of this report, storage coefficients




of 0.23 and 0.20 were calculated from the detention times of




tritium and nitrates, respectively, between recharge and observation




wells.  These values are believed to be reliable since the method




of calculation is relatively insensitive to reasonable variations




in detention time and aquifer depth.  Also, these values are not




subject to the numerous assumptions required  for the pump test




method and which are not usually met in practice.  In addition,




these higher values agree with storage coefficients found by the




USDA at Bush land in laboratory studies of  100 undisturbed cores




of the aquifer.

-------
                   IV.  POLLUTIONAL PARAMETERS






                      Recharge of Pollutants




     Artificial recharge operations in the High Plains normally




employ, as a source of recharge water, rainfall collected in playa




lakes common to this area.  Because suspended matter often causes




clogging of the recharge wells, clarification is sometimes needed




before these waters can be recharged.  In addition, other pollutants




may be present in various and significant concentrations.




     To avoid this problem and because the supply of playa lake




water at Bushland, Texas was limited, an irrigation well was used




as the only source of recharge water for this project.




     The recharge rate was maintained at 348 gallons per minute for




the full 10-day period.  This rate  is representative of recharge




practices in the High Plains.   Nitrate was added  to the recharge




water at a weighted average  rate  of 24.4 mg/1,  including  the 7.7




mg/1 background from  the  supply well, and p,p'-DDT was added at an




average  rate of 74 parts  per billion (ppb).  Over the total  recharge




period,  this concentration amounted to  1,028  and  3.11 pounds of




nitrates and DDT,  respectively.   In addition,  four curies  of




tritiated water were  added as  a tracer  at  a rate  of 210 micromicro-




curies per milliliter (yyc/ml).

-------
                                                              19




     Tracer, nitrate, and DDT were received in the form of tritiated




water, industrial grade sodium nitrate, and commercial grade 50




percent wettable DDT powder, respectively.  Suitable quantities of




all three were added daily to one of two mixing barrels and diluted




to about 80 gallons.  An electric motor was used to power a mixing




paddle in each barrel in order to maintain the DDT in suspension.




The contents of each barrel were agitated overnight and during a




subsequent feed period of about 24 hours.






                       Methods of Sampling




     Sampling was confined primarily to Well No. 1, the recharge




well, and Observation Wells No. 2, 3,  and 4 located at radial




distances of 33, 66, and 150 feet, respectively, from the point of




recharge.  Occasionally, samples were  taken from wells at greater




distances.  These wells included the domestic water supply for the




agricultural experiment station at Bushland.  Samples taken from




distances greater than 150 feet were collected primarily for back-




ground information  and as a safety precaution and were generally




analyzed only for tracer concentrations.




     During the  10-day recharge period, samples designated Well




No. 1 represented recharge water after mixing with the pollutants




and tracer and were taken from the top of the recharge well through




a manometer tube.   During the pumping  period, Well No. 1 samples




were taken immediately on the effluent side of the pump.

-------
                                                              20
     Observation wells were sampled with the portable pump system

                      O~\ \
shown in Figure IV-1.      The system consisted of a submersible


pump which was lowered or raised in an observation well, using a


hose on an electric winch and spool assembly.  The sampling depth


was about 190 feet below the ground surface  (approximately 30 feet


below static water level) in all the observation wells.  Before each


sampling, the well was purged for  30 minutes by pumping at 10 gallons


per minute.  This time was  sufficient  to withdraw about three times


the volume of water  in  the  well and was believed to  provide a


representative sample of  the  aquifer  at that location.


     To reduce the  quantity of  sand and other  particulate matter in


the  aqueous  samples  during  collection, the sample  stream  was passed


through a Tyler  equivalent mesh No. 270  (53 microns  or 0.0021  inches)


standard eight-inch brass sieve.   The sample stream was directed at


 the side of  the  sieve so that the water moved across the screen rather


 than directly through it; this reduced forcing of particulate matter



 through the sieve by hydrostatic pressure.


      Samples were collected in one-quart glass jars with teflon-lined


 lids.   These jars and teflon liners were previously washed thoroughly


 with dichromate cleaning solution, tap water, and distilled water.


      Great care was  exercised  during  sampling to prevent contamination


 of samples with substances which  would interfere with DDT analysis.


      Sand samples  for the  determination  of  adsorbed DDT  were taken


 from the pumped stream in  the  cleansed one-quart  jars.   They were

-------
         FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE  IN GROUND WATER

         PORTABLE    PUMP  SYSTEM
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
SOUTHWESTERN
   RESEARCH
               GREAT  PLAINS
               C£C»TER
              , TEXAS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
  FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION
  CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
        KOBEKT S KER1?
    WATER RESEARCH CENTER
        ADA, OKLAHOMA
                                       FIGURE  IV-I

-------
                                                              21



obtained simply by collecting the unfiltered stream and decanting



after the particulate matter had settled.





                       Methods of Analyses



     Analyses for tritium, nitrates, and DDT were conducted in a



mobile laboratory  (Figures IV-2 and IV-3) of the Robert S. Kerr



Water Research Center.



     Nitrite and nitrate nitrogen were  determined by use of a


                       (22}
Technicon AutoAnalyzerv   ' following the automated  technique


                                          (23)
described by Kamphake, Hannah, and Cohen,       All  samples were



analyzed immediately after collection  to reduce any errors arising



from changes in  the  nitrogen balance.   Standards were  analyzed



before  and  during  each day's run for accuracy.   At  intervals,



duplicate samples  were compared  for  reproducibility of results.



     All samples were analyzed for  tritium with a Beckman Model



LS-150  Liquid  Scintillation  Spectrometer.



     The methods employed for quantitative analysis of DDT  in the



various water  samples were essentially those described by



Breidenbach et al,(24) with some modification.  Samples of  600 to



 800 ml of water were  extracted twice consecutively by stirring for



 30 minutes  each time  with 35 ml portions of hexane.  Extractions



 were conducted in the original quart sample bottles with teflon-lined



 lids,  using two-inch  teflon-coated magnetic stirring bars.   After



 each extraction,  the  hexane  and water  phases were  separated in one

-------



          Outside View Of Mobile Laboratory
GAS  CHROMATOGRAPH SYSTEM- Used For DDT Analyses
                FATE OF DDT AND  NITRATE IN GROUND WATER
                    MOBILE  LABORATORY  AND
                       GAS   CHROMATOGRAPH
       U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

        AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE

          SOUTHWESTERN GREAT  PLAINS
              RESEARCH CENTER

               BUSHLAND, TEXAS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

  FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION
   CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
        ROBERT S, KERR
     WATER RESEARCH CENTER
        ADA, OKLAHOMA
                                                FIGURE  IV-2

-------
AUTO  ANALYZER- Used  For Nitrate And
                 Nitrite Determination
   LIQUID SCINTILLATION SYSTEM-Used For Tritium
                               Measurements
                FATE  OF DDT AND NITRATE IN GROUND WATER
                AUTO  ANALYZER   AND  LIQUID
                   SCINTILLATION  SYSTEM
       U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
       AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
          SOUTHWESTERN GREAT PLAINS
              RESEARCH CENTER
              BUSHLAND, TEXAS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
  FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION
   CONTROL  ADMINISTRATION
        ROBERT S. KERR
     WATER RESEARCH CENTER
        ADA,OKLAHOMA
                                               FIGURE   IV-3

-------
                                                              22


liter separatory funnels and the combined hexane extracts were dried


by passing through 2" x 7/8" columns of anhydrous sodium sulfate.


Extracts of samples from recharge stream and pumped water, in which


DDT concentrations were relatively high, were adjusted to appropriate


volumes and subjected to analysis by electron capture gas chromatography


without further treatment.  Extracts of samples from observation wells


which contained low levels of DDT were subjected to thin-layer chroma-


tography before quantitation of DDT in order to minimize interference


by other extract components during the gas chromatography step.  In


this procedure, the extracts were evaporated to 2 to 8 ml volume,


transferred to 15 ml centrifuge tubes, and further evaporated carefully


to dryness under a gentle stream of air or nitrogen in a water bath


at 40 C.  The residues were dissolved in 100 yl of pure hexane; and


50 yl aliquots, together with standard DDT samples, were chromatographed


on thin-layers of Adsorbosil 1  (Applied Science Laboratories, State


College, Pennsylvania) with carbon tetrachloride as developing solvent.


After locating zones containing DDT by spraying the standards with


Rhodamine B, these zones were removed from the thin-layers by means of

                                (25)
a microvacuum cleaner  apparatus,     and the DDT was eluted directly


into 15 ml conical centrifuge tubes with 5 to 6 ml of petroleum ether-


diethyl ether mixture (1:1).  The solvent was gently evaporated from


these eluates, and the residues were dissolved in appropriate quantities


(usually 100 to 500 yl) of pure hexane and subjected to gas chromatography.

-------
                                                              23
     For gas chromatography,  a Varian-Aerograph Model 204B gas
chromatograph equipped with  tritium-foil electron  capture detector
and Minneapolis-Honeywell Model  16  recorder with Disc integrator
was employed.  A 5f x 1/8" stainless  steel column  packed with 5.4%
DC-200 on 80/100 mesh Gas Chrom  Q  (Applied Science Laboratories,
State College, Pennsylvania)  was used for most analyses.  In order
to confirm identity of peaks, a  5'  x  1/8" glass column packed with
5% QF-1 on 100/120 Aeropak 30 (Varian-Aerograph, Walnut Creek,
California) was employed for  analysis of a few samples.  Essential
operating parameters were:  column  temperature, 205°; injection
port temperature, 235 ; detector temperature, 211°; carrier gas,
N_; flow rate, 40 ml/min.  Figure IV-4 shows a typical chromatogram
obtained in analysis of recharge water.  This chromatogram reveals
the presence of the two principal isomeric forms of dichlorodiphenyl-
trichloroethane, p,p'-DDT [1,1,1 -  trichloro - 2,2 - bis (p-chlorophenyl)
ethane] and o,p~DDT [1,1,1 -  trichloro - 2-o - chlorophenyl - 2 - p -
chlorophenyl ethane].  These  are shown structurally in Figure IV-5.
In this research, only p,p'-DDT, which comprised approximately 80% of
the total DDT isomers of the  recharge stream, was  determined routinely;
and the term DDT as used in this report refers to  the p,p'  isomer only
unless otherwise noted.

-------
                                  p.p'-DDT
                  o.p-DDT^
        FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE IN GROUND WATER
      GAS CHROMATOGRAM OBTAINED IN
      ANALYSIS  OF  RECHARGE WATER
US. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE

   SOUTHWESTERN GREAT PLAINS
      RESEARCH CENTER

       BUSHLAND, TEXAS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

  FEDERAL WATER POLLUTION
   CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
       ROBERT 3. KERR
    WATER RESEARCH CENTER
        ADA, OKLAHOMA
                                     FIGURE   IV-4

-------
                                                             24
                           Figure IV-5




           Structural Formula of  Principal DDT  Isomers




             H                                     "  Cl
         o — c — ci                             ci— c — ci




             Cl                                     Cl




          p,p'-DDT                              o,p-DDT




     Highly purified solvents were employed throughout the  DDT




analysis, and extensive precautions were taken to prevent contam-




ination during the analytical procedures.  Standard p,p'-DDT




samples were routinely carried through the procedure with the




unknowns to check recovery of DDT, which was found to vary from




70 to 98%.  Correction of obtained DDT values to compensate for




recovery efficiencies was not attempted,



     For analysis of DDT adsorbed on  sand samples, excess water




was first decanted  from the  sample.   The remaining aqueous sand




slurry was  then  poured into  a 22 mm diameter column  equipped with




fritted  glass  disc.  The sand was washed with 350 to 500 ml of




distilled water  to  remove  all nonsorbed DDT and  then was washed




successively with two  100  ml portions of pure acetone and  two  100 ml




portions of pure hexane.   The  solvent was  carefully  evaporated from




the  acetone washings,  and  the  residues were dissolved in pure  hexane




and  dried with sodium sulfate.   The resulting solutions and the

-------
                                                              25




original hexane washings were adjusted to appropriate volumes and




analyzed by electron capture gas chromatography, as previously




described.  The washed sand was dried and weighed to determine DDT




adsorbed per unit weight of sand.  This washing procedure appeared




to be quite effective in removing adsorbed DDT from the sand since




extraction of the previously washed sand in a Soxhlet extractor with




acetone for 10 hours yielded no significant additional quantities




of DDT.  Essentially all of the adsorbed DDT was found to be removed




from the sand by the first acetone wash.

-------
                     V.  RESULTS OF ANALYSES






                         Tracer Recovery




     Due to expected mixing and dilution of recharge water with




water native to the aquifer, a tracer was necessary to determine




the magnitude of these effects.  The recharge water was tagged




with tritiated water to determine the degree of dilution, the




rate of movement of the recharge water, and the amount of recharge




water recovered during pumping operations.  Tritiated water was




selected because its behavior is essentially chemically and




physically identical to the water being studied.




     By comparing tracer concentrations in observation wells with




concentrations in the recharge water, it was  possible to calculate




the pollutant concentrations expected in the absence of breakdown,




adsorption, or other losses in the aquifer.




     Tritium was added to  348 gpm of recharge water at an average




rate of 210 micromicrocuries per milliliter (yyc/ml) for 10 days




as shown in Figure V-l.  This injection rate resulted in a total




of 4.0 curies being added  to the ground water.




     Tracer was recovered  at Observation Wells No. 2 and 3 located




33 feet and 66 feet, respectively, from the recharge well.  The




native water in the aquifer between Well No. 2 and the recharge




well was totally displaced after about three days of injection.

-------
  WEIGHTED AVERAGE  _J
INPUT  CONCENTRATION
                     CONCENTRATIONS AT
                       WEL  NO. 2
                                                       CONCENTRATIONS AT
                                                          WEL   NO. 3
                              72         96         120         144

                                  TIME AFTER  RECHARGE BEGAN  (Hours)

-------
                                                                 27



The native water in the aquifer between Well No. 3 and the recharge



well was not completely displaced during this experiment as shown by



the failure of the tritium  concentration to reach the average recharge



concentration.  Part  of this  failure may be attributed to the low



recharge concentrations noted on the fourth through  sixth days as



shown in Figure V-l.   Tritium was not  detected  at all in Well No. 4



which was  located  150 feet  from the recharge well.



     Detention times  between the recharge  well  and observation wells



were determined  for use in  calculation of  aquifer storage coefficient



mentioned  in  Section  III  and again  in  nitrate  recovery.



     The increase  in  tracer concentration at Wells No.  2  and 3 follow



 the normal ess-shaped curvature  expected in these  types of  phenomena.



 The flow-through time, detention time, or geometric  mean  observation



 time  to each  of  these wells is equal to the inflection point of  their



 respective dispersion curves or to the second derivative  of the



 formulation of these curves equated to zero.



      Detention times were determined graphically in Figure V-2 by



 plotting the summation of tracer which had passed a radius, r,  in



 time,  t.   This process involves two linear functions.  The intersection



 of the two straight  lines describes the flow-through or roughly the


                 (26)
 detention times.


      A more commonly  used graphical solution is shown in Figure V-3



 where the data are plotted on logarithmitic probability paper.  A



 straight  line fitted to  the  data intersects the 50  percentile concen-



 tration at the geometric mean observation time.

-------
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                                                                                                    175
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                          Well  No. 3
                 J	L
                                                   I	1	1
                                  10
                                         20   30  40 50  60   70   80    90
                              PERCENT  OF RECHARGE  CONCENTRATION
                                  FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE IN GROUND WATER


                             DETERMINATION   OF  DETENTION  TIME
                         U.S.DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


                         AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE


                            SOUTHWESTERN GREAT PLAINS

                               RESEARCH CENTER
                                BUSHLAND, TEXAS
                                                     U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

                                                       FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION

                                                        CONTROL ADMINISTRATION

                                                            ROBERT S. KERR
                                                         WATER RESEARCH CENTER

                                                             ADA,OKLAHOMA
                                                               FIGURE   V-3

-------
                                                              28




     Detention times at the recharge rate of 348 gpm were 1.7 and




5.4 days to Wells No. 2 and 3, respectively.  Using the saturated




volume calculated from observed water levels, a storage coefficient




of 0.23 was calculated.



     Following the  10-day recharge period,  pumping  the recharge well




at 504 gpm for 10 days yielded 3.75  curies  or 94 percent of  the




injected tritiated  water.  Tracer recovery  during pumping  is  shown




in Figure V-4.   If  no  losses  occurred due to adsorption, breakdown,




denitrification, etc.,  then  a similar recovery  could be  expected for




nitrates and DDT.   This  high recovery of tracer adds to  the  reliability




of  tritium as a tracer for determining flow and dispersion character-




istics of  underground formations.



      The recharge well was pumped for 12 days with samples taken each




 day from Well No. 1.  The observation wells were sampled for the first




 four days and again on the eleventh day when tracer  concentrations in




 all wells had returned to background.






                          Nitrate Recovery




      Nitrate was added  to recharge  waters  with a weighted average




 concentration of 24.46 mg/1  as  shown in Figure V-5.   Over the  10-day




 recharge period, this  addition amounts to 1,028 pounds  of N03-   The




 background  N03  concentration of the supply well was 7.74  mg/1  which




 accounted  for 325  pounds in the recharge water, leaving 703 pounds





 artificially added.

-------
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264
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                                                            TIME  AFTER  PUMPING BEGAN (Hours)

-------
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                                                                                                                    BACKGROUND WELL NO. I
                              MIDNIGHT
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                             NOV.

                                                                                                 17



-------
                                                              29




     Figure V-5 also depicts the rate at which NO., concentrations




were reduced after pumping began.  The area under the curve during




pumping operations can be equated to pounds of NO,, produced.




     The background of Well No. 1 was 5.00 mg/1 which amounts to




360 pounds of the recovered NO™, leaving 660 pounds recovered of




that which was  artificially added.  This amounts  to a nitrate




recovery of 94  percent.




     Figures V-6  and V-7  show  the behavior of nitrates  at Wells




No. 2  and 3, both under recharge and pumping  conditions.  As shown,




the nitrates in these wells were reduced to near  background by  the




end of the pumping period.




     By recovering 94 percent  of  the nitrate  artificially  injected,




it is  apparent  that no  significant  losses were  encountered during




the test.  Although minor concentrations  of nitrite (NO^  were




measured  at Well  No.  2  after pumping began,  there was  no evidence




of extensive  denitrification.




     Although a high  percentage of  N03 was recovered,  it is important




 to  compare  its movement with that of the tritiated water.   Figure V-8




 shows  how both the tritium and N03 concentrations were evidenced at




 Wells  No.  2 and 3.   It is evident that although no significant




 denitrification occurs, care must be taken in using nitrate as a




 tracer in ground-water studies.



      From Figure V-8, it appears that the nitrates may move somewhat




 faster than tritium through the aquifer.  Undoubtedly, most of the

-------
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-------
                                                                 30
difference between the two curves is due to the higher relative
                                                                   (27)
background of NOo in the recharge area.  However, Kaufman and Orlob
noted that the chloride ion passed  through a natural soil medium
faster than tritium and the difference was correlated to clay content
of the soil.  It was believed  that  tritiated water molecules passed
through the free pore water as did  the chloride  ion, but the tritiated
water also exchanged with  the  water adsorbed on  the clay minerals and
with the water of hydration in cations associated with  these minerals.
Therefore, tritium-labeled water and unlabeled water would  be
expected  to displace almost all of  the water  in  the aquifer.  Nitrates
could be  expected to react in a similar  manner to  chloride. The
clay content  of  the  formation studied at Bushland  was  low;  and,  if  the
effect of background was  removed, NO- and tritium dispersion curves

would be  more similar.
     A comparison of  the  use  of such tracers can be gained, as  an
                                                                  ( 28)
example,  in  the  determination of the aquifer storage  coefficient.
     Using  the  nitrate dispersion curves, detention or displacement
 times between the recharge well and Wells No.  2 and 3 were determined
 to be  1.3 and 4.4 days, respectively.  These detention times with a
 recharge rate of 348 gpm and  a  saturated volume calculated from
 observed water levels yield a storage coefficient of 0.20.  This
 value  corresponds to a value  of 0.23 obtained by using tritiated

 water as the tracer.
      As shown in Figure V-7,  a peak was reached in both N03 and
 tritium concentrations shortly after recharge began.  This peak

-------
                                                                  31




indicates that some portion of the recharged water moved more




rapidly to the observation wells than did other portions.  These




differences in rates of movement appear to be related to differences




in horizontal permeability of the layers comprising the formation.




     Examination of well logs and laboratory analyses of formation




cores revealed that a stratum only a few feet in thickness and lying




immediately above the static water table (water level in the wells




before recharging began) is considerably more permeable than other




strata that transmitted water during the recharge test.  For this




reason, it is postulated that recharged water moving in this stratum




reached the observation wells before any other recharged water;




however, as the test proceeded, water from underlying strata entered




this stratum as water pressures equalized throughout the saturated




part of the formation.  Mixing of water from the underlying strata




with the recharged water in the layer of higher horizontal permea-




bility resulted in a reduction in concentrations of nitrate and




tritium since waters from the underlying strata were at this time




largely of native, unaltered quality.  This concentration reduction




is reflected in curves shown in Figure V-8.




     As recharged water began reaching the observation wells from




the other strata, concentrations of nitrate and tritium began to




gradually increase and the curves took on a shape that would be




expected for a situation involving an aquifer having fairly uniform




horizontal permeability.

-------
                                                              32



                           DDT Recovery




     Project plans called for the addition of DDT during recharge




at a rate of 100 ppb (parts per billion) or 100,000 ng/1 (1 nanogram =




10~9 grams).  Difficulties in controlling the chemical feed rate




reduced this to about 90 ppb total DDT, or 74 ppb p,p'-DDT, the




principal DDT isomer which was routinely determined in this work.




With a recharge rate of 348 gpm,  the actual input of p,p'-DDT




amounted to  3.11 pounds during the  10-day recharge period.  The




input concentration of p,p'-DDT,  as measured  in the recharge  stream,




is  shown in Figure V-9.



     Analyses  of water samples  from Well No.  2, 33 feet from  the




recharge well,  indicates  a probable slight  increase in DDT in this




well during the recharge period.   However,  the concentration  of about




0.4 ppb  DDT in water from this well after 10 days of recharge was




much more comparable with the background concentration of 0.1 ppb




 DDT at the beginning of recharge than with the concentration of




 74 ppb DDT in the recharge water,  and it would appear that no




 significant breakthrough of DDT  to Well No.  2  occurred during the




 period of  this study.  No increase in DDT in Wells No. 3  and 4, 66




 and 150 feet respectively from the recharge  well, was noted  during




 the recharge period.  The DDT entering  the  aquifer with  the  recharge




 water must,  therefore, have  been largely adsorbed onto the aquifer




 material  near  the recharge well.

-------

  120
  100
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   60
  40
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                                                                .

                                              WEIGHTED AVERAGE  '
                                              INPUT CONCENTRATION
 1

  MIDNIGHT
   OCT. 30
NOV. I
                                                                            NOV. 10
                                    FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE IN GROUND WATER

                                   DDT RECHARGE  CONCENTRATION
                           U.S.DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

                            AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE

                               SOUTHWESTERN GREAT PLAINS
                                  RESEARCH CENTER

                                   BUSHLAND, TEXAS
                                        U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

                                          FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION
                                          CONTROL  ADMINISTRATION
                                               ROBERT S. KERR
                                            WATER RESEARCH CENTER

                                               ADA,OKLAHOMA
                                                                   FIGURE  V-9

-------
                                                              33



     Recharge ended at 10:00 a.m., November 10, 1967; and, after



three hours of inactivity, pumping of the recharge well began at



1:00 p.m.  The pumped stream was sampled in order to determine:



(1) the amount of DDT in the water, both in solution and suspension;



(2) the DDT adsorbed per gram of produced sand; and  (3) the amount



of sand produced on a temporal basis.   (The term DDT as employed



herein refers to p,p'-DDT only.)



     Figures V-10 and V-ll show the concentration of DDT in the



pumped water.  (Figure V-ll uses arithmetic scales and provides



a better picture of the relative times  involved.)  Although the



well was recharged with 74 ppb DDT, the first  sample—collected



one minute after pumping began—showed  a DDT concentration of  1,204



ppb.  Hence, the initial concentration  of produced water was over



16 times that of the recharge water.  On the basis of reported


                                           (29  30 31  32)
studies of the solubility of DDT in water,   '   '  '    it is



evident that much of this DDT was not in true  solution, but probably



occurred as minute, undissolved particles  in suspension or was



adsorbed to  colloidal soil particles suspended in the water.



     Although the initial DDT concentration of the pumped water was



very high, it decreased rapidly during  the early period of pumping



and was reduced by two orders of magnitude after only  10 hours of



pumping at 504 gpm.


     There are two significant portions of the DDT recovery curve



shown in Figures V-10 and V-ll.  Throughout the first  two days of

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                                                                                                                     /I
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TIME AFTER PUMPING BEGAN (Hours)


-------
                                                              34



pumping the measured DDT concentration continued to decrease at




decreasing rate with time, following the relationship shown in




Equation V-l with a correlation coefficient of 0.941.




          C = 53,7 t-°-723                          Eq. V-l.




     where C = concentration of DDT.in produced water  (ppb)




           t = time after pumping began  (hours)




Hence, after pumping for 27.5 hours, the DDT  concentration of the




produced water had declined to 4.8 ppb by  actual measurement and




to a calculated value of 4.9 ppb by Equation  V-l; similarly determined




and calculated values after 43.5 hours were 4.6 and 3.5 ppb,




respectively.  During the third day of pumping, however,  determined




DDT concentrations of pumped water began to differ  significantly




from values  calculated  by means of  Equation V-l.  For  the remainder




of the pumping period DDT concentrations considerably  exceeded  those




predicted by Equation V-l and were  often quite erratic.   On three




occasions—the  fourth,  seventh,  and eighth days—measured DDT




concentrations were  relatively  high,  approaching  or exceeding  the




recharge  concentration.  That  rapid fluctuation of  DDT concentration




of produced water may have  been occurring during  this  period was




indicated by an almost  twofold  difference (121.0  and 67.7 ppb)  in




DDT  concentrations of  samples collected in immediate succession on




 the  fourth day of pumping.   Unfortunately, samples were not collected




with sufficient frequency after the fourth day to permit confirmation




 of this apparent phenomenon.

-------
                                                              35




     The observed recovery of DDT in produced water becomes more




understandable if concurrent production of sand during pumping of




the well is considered.  For the first two days, when DDT concen-




trations were declining regularly, sand produced by pumping the well




was decreasing or relatively constant at a low level, following an




initial heavy production during the first two or three hours of




pumping.  During the third and fourth days of pumping, however, when




DDT concentrations became erratic and higher  than  expected, there




was a sudden  and sporadic increase  in sand production; and  for  the




remainder  of  the pumping period  sand production  gradually  increased,




although never  attaining  a  very  high level relative to production




during  the early hours of pumping.  This  increased sand  production




almost  certainly  indicated  major disturbances,  possibly  cave-ins, in




 the aquifer material near the well casing.   Such disturbances would




be likely to expose fresh surfaces of  particulate matter which




 constitutes the aquifer.   Water flowing at high velocity over these




 newly exposed surfaces might result in more rapid removal of adsorbed




 DDT and higher DDT concentrations in produced water.  Also, such




 disturbances would likely result in increased and nonuniform release




 of colloidal soil particles high in adsorbed DDT,  as well  as colloidal




 particles of DDT which might be  lodged in the interstitial areas of




 the aquifer material.  Although  all samples were  screened  during




 collection,  as previously  described, such colloidal particles  would

-------
                                                              36

not be removed and would greatly increase DDT content of samples

receiving them.  It is quite plausible, therefore, that the increased

and variable DDT concentrations of samples of water produced after the

second day of pumping were manifestations of disturbances in aquifer

structure.

     Integration of Equation V-l from  0 to 48 hours,  the period during

which DDT content  of produced water was decreasing regularly with time,

indicates that  only 0.142 pound of DDT was recovered  in produced water

during the  first two days of pumping  the  recharge well.  Quantitative

estimation  of  DDT  recovered in produced water during  the remaining

ten days of pumping  cannot  be made, however,  because  of the indicated

variability of DDT concentration  in pumped water and the relative

infrequency of sampling during  this  period.

      Another means by which DDT  can  be removed from the formation

 after a recharge operation is  by the  production of sand in the

 pumped stream.  Analysis of produced sand in this study indicated a

 considerable capacity of the Ogallala sand for adsorption of DDT;

 this is consistent with a recent report of relatively high adsorption
                                                                 (33)
 of DDT  from aqueous medium onto fine  sand in laboratory studies.

      During the early hours of pumping, the amount of DDT adsorbed

 per unit weight of produced sand was  found to  decrease regularly

 with time  as shown in Figure V-12 and according  to Equation V-2

 with a  correlation coefficient of 0.987

-------
   10000
    9000
    8000
   7000
   6000
C"
Q


<  5000
19
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V.
Q
4
Q
C
   4000
30OO
    2000
                                     D=( 11,000) |0-°'625f


                                 CORRELATION  COEFFICIENT = 0.987
                                   1
                                                          J
                                   0.5                         1-0



                            TIME  AFTER PUMPING  BEGAN  (Hours)
                                 FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE IN GROUND WATER


                       ANALYSIS OF DDT ADSORPTION ON OGALLALA SAND
                        U.S.DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


                        AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE


                           SOUTHWESTERN  GREAT PLAINS

                               RESEARCH CENTER


                                BUSHLAND,TEXAS
                                                  U.S. DEPARTMENT OFTHE INTERIOR


                                                    FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION

                                                     CONTROL ADMINISTRATION

                                                         ROBERT Si KERR
                                                      WATER RESEARCH CENTER

                                                          ADA, OKLAHOMA
                                                                FIGURE   V-12

-------
                                                              37
                        ,-0.625t
          D = (11,000) 10 "'""-                   Eq. V-2.

     where D = DDT adsorbed per gram of sand (ng/g)

           t = time after pumping began (hours)

     The amount of sand recovered during early phases of pumping

is shown on a temporal basis in Figure V-13.  These data can be

formulated as shown by Equation V-3 with a correlation coefficient

of 0.956.

          W = (268,500) Hf1*611*                  Eq. V-3

     where W = rate of produced sand  (grams/hour)

           t = time after pumping began (hours)

     By integrating Equations V-2 and V-3 the quantity of DDT

recovered on produced sand during the early phases of pumping can

be calculated.  Because of rapid decrease with time of sand produced

and DDT adsorbed per unit weight of sand, the rate of DDT  recovery

on sand was most rapid during the first few minutes after pumping

began as shown in Table V-l.

                            Table V-l

                   Rate of DDT Recovery on Sand
                       After Pumping  Began
Time After Pumping Began
        (Minutes)
            5
           10
           15
           20
           25
           30
           35
           40
           45
           60
Total Weight of DDT Recovered
           (Grams)

             0.20
             0.33
             0.40
             0.45
             0.51
             0.53
             0.54
             0.55
             0.56
             0.57

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                                      W= (268,500) IO"1'6"
                                    CORRELATION COEFFICIENT: 0.956
100,000 —
                                              I Hour
                       TIME  AFTER PUMPING BEGAN (Hours)
                              FATE OF DDT AND NITRATE IN GROUND WATER
                      RATE  OF SAND  PRODUCTION
                                             BEGINS
      AFTER  PUMPING
                     U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
                     AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
                        SOUTHWESTERN  GREAT PLAINS
                            RESEARCH CENTER
                             BUSHLAND, TEXAS
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
  FEDERAL WATER  POLLUTION
  CONTROL ADMINISTRATION
       ROBERT S. KERR
    WATER RESEARCH CENTER
        ADA, OKLAHOMA
                                                            FIGURE   V-13

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                                                              38




     Hence, almost all of the adsorbed DDT which was recovered by sand




production during the first two days of pumping was recovered within




the first hour after pumping began.  It appears that most of the sand




which contributed significantly to DDT recovery during this period was




probably either in the well casing when pumping began or moved from




the aquifer very quickly.




     As previously noted, sand production sporadically increased during




the third and fourth days of pumping and gradually increased thereafter




until the end of this investigation.  It seems unlikely that significant




DDT was recovered adsorbed to produced sand  during this period, however,




because the magnitude of sand production, was not  sufficient to contribute




much DDT at observed levels of adsorption.




     It should be noted that the  sand collected  for  DDT adsorption




characteristics  in  this study did  not reflect all of the  fines because




of sampling procedure.  Since  the  fine particles, particularly  those




high in clay, present with  the aquifer solids are likely  to adsorb




significant quantities of DDT,  the indicated recoveries of DDT  adsorbed




on sand in this  investigation may be low.   Nevertheless,  it appears  a




valid  conclusion that  the quantity of DDT recovered by production of




sand in this  study  was probably  small compared with the amount  recovered




in produced water.




     Summation of the  DDT  recovered in  the produced water and adsorbed




on  the produced sand during the first two days of pumping indicates




 that  less  than 5% of the total system input was  recovered during this




period of  pumping the recharge well.

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                                                              39





     Although the data obtained in this study are not sufficient to




permit quantitative estimation of DDT recovered during the full 12-




day pumping period, they do indicate that a major proportion of the




DDT introduced into the aquifer during recharge remained adsorbed in




the aquifer following termination of pumping.

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                   VI.  SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS



     This project was a cooperative venture between the Robert S.


Kerr Water Research Center of the U. S. Department of the Interior


and the Southwestern Great Plains Research Center of the U. S.


Department of Agriculture.  The work was done at Bushland, Texas.


     The Ogallala Aquifer was recharged at 348 gpm for a period


of 10 days with water taken from an irrigation well 2,280 feet


from the recharge point.


     Tritiated water, nitrate, and p,p'-DDT were injected into the


recharge stream at concentrations of 210 uuc/ml, 24.46 mg/1, and


74 ppb, respectively.


     The system was monitored by chemical analyses of samples taken


at several observation wells with principal interest in those


located at 33, 66, and 150 feet from the injection well.  Water


levels were monitored continuously at  16 points  located up  to 1,000


feet from the recharge well.


     At the end of the recharge period, the system was allowed to


stabilize for three hours before pumping began at a rate  of 504 gpm.


The well was pumped at that rate for 12 days with the system continuing


to be monitored for chemical  and hydraulic parameters.

                        o
     Tritiated water  (H.O) can be used satisfactorily in  ground-


water studies to  define the movement of water and at the  same time

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                                                                 41




describe the aquifer's characteristics such as storage coefficient.




This is evidenced by its physical and chemical characteristics and




a demonstrated recovery of 94 percent.  At the end of the 12-day




pumping period, the tritiated water had been removed from the aquifer.




     With a recovery of 94 percent, there was not evidence of nitrate




loss due to denitrification; however, the behavioral pattern at the




observation wells was not the same as that of the tritiated water.




This was due mainly to the difficulties in accountability to the




aquifer's nitrate background.  After the end of pumping, the aquifer




had returned to near its original nitrate background.




     There was no significant breakthrough of DDT to the first




observation well 33 feet from the recharge well.  Apparently, the




injected DDT was largely adsorbed to the aquifer material near the




recharge-pumping well.




     The DDT concentration in the pumped water was over 16 times the




recharge concentration at initiation of pumping but decreased to below




the recharge concentration in about one hour and continued to decrease




at a decreasing rate during the first two days of pumping.  DDT concen-




trations then became erratic and on three occasions approached or




slightly exceeded recharge concentration, apparently as a result of




disturbances in the aquifer structure.




     The amount of DDT recovered adsorbed on sand was relatively




small, but a considerable capacity of Ogallala Aquifer material for




adsorption of DDT was shown.

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                                                              42






     Apparently, a major proportion of the DDT introduced into the




aquifer during recharge was not recovered during pumping but remained




in the aquifer.




     The three most important points resulting from this study are:




     1.  When present, nitrate pollution of the Ogallala is probably




         of more immediate concern than DDT because of its ability to




         move through the aquifer.




     2.  A well, used for domestic purposes, should not be recharged




         with water in which DDT is suspected because of the possible




         release of DDT contaminated aquifer material into water




         subsequently pumped from the well.




     3.  Considerable caution must be used in extending this work to




         other pesticides because of the myriad of solubilities and




         the obviously varied adsorption characteristics encountered.

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                       VIII.  BIBLIOGRAPHY
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                                                               44

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                                                               45

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                                                               46

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