Pollutant dispersion modelling for Portuguese water uses protection linked to tracer dye experimental data

• Tipo: Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 2008

Autores

António A. S. Duarte (Autor) Outra; Rui Boaventura (Autor) FEUP

Revista

Título: WSEAS Transactions on Environment and Development

Vol. 4 Nº 12

Páginas: 1047-1056

ISSN: 1790-5079

Editora: WSEAS Press

Indexação

Scopus

INSPEC

Classificação Científica

FOS: Ciências da engenharia e tecnologias

CORDIS: Ciências Naturais > Ciências do ambiente

Outras Informações

Abstract (EN): The present work describes the methodology used in the monitoring programs, basically consisting in the injection of a tracer dye (rhodamine WT) in an upstream river section and follow-up of the dye cloud along the river to determine the water dispersion behaviour in situ. The models were developed to simulate different water quality management scenarios on each reach of the three Portuguese rivers under study: Mondego, Douro and Tagus rivers. However, further developments are needed for Douro and Tagus rivers in order to simulate vertical and transversal dispersion processes and improve the model correlation with the experimental data. The models were calibrated and validated in order to produce operational tools used to estimate the probabilistic leading edge/peak/tail times, the pollutant losses by volatilization, adsorption, precipitation, etc. and remaining concentrations. These tools allows to define, for example, how long water intake need to be suspended after a pollutant spill and can be easily integrated in a future DSS, which should be developed and implemented by each one of the river basin management authorities. The good correlation between experimental and simulated data allows us to conclude that the applied models are accurate enough to describe and predict conservative pollutant transport under different hydrodynamic scenarios. This methodology is appropriate to assess the environmental impact of pollutant loads directly introduced into the streams and, subsequently, to define and implement the best water sources protection practices.

Idioma: Português

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica