HR: 0800h
AN: H21E-1403    [Abstracts]
TI: Laboratory Studies to Examine the Impact of Polyacrylamide (PAM) on Soil Hydraulic Conductivity
AU: * Moran, E A
EM: ernesto.moran@dri.edu
AF: Desert Research Institute, 755 E. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89119 United States
AU: * Moran, E A
EM: ernesto.moran@dri.edu
AF: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154 United States
AU: Young, M H
EM: michael.young@dri.edu
AF: Desert Research Institute, 755 E. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89119 United States
AU: Yu, Z
EM: zhongbo@unlv.nevada.edu
AF: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154 United States
AB: Polyacrylamide (PAM) is a long-chain synthetic polymer made of the monomer acrylamide (AMD). PAM has numerous uses ranging from food processing to drilling to wastewater treatment. More recently it has been proposed as a canal sealant in the western US to improve water conservation. To support a larger field-based experimental program being implemented in Grand Junction, CO, soil column experiments are being conducted to evaluate the mechanisms of how, and to what extent, PAM reduces soil hydraulic conductivity. The goal of the experiments is to find the optimum concentration and application method of PAM that reduces hydraulic conductivity to the greatest extent. Column tests were conducted, in triplicate, using a constant head method in acrylic columns of 15 cm length and 6.4 cm diameter. An unbalanced multi-factorial design was used with experimental variables including soil type (medium silica sand, locally-derived sand, and locally-derived loam), PAM concentration (11, 22, 44, 88 kg/canal-ha), turbidity (0, 100, 350 NTU), and application method (hydrated PAM on dry soil and powdered PAM applied to water column above saturated soil). Non-crosslinked anionic PAM with a molecular weight of 12 to 24 Mg/mol was used for all experiments. Additional experiments were conducted in graduated cylinders to evaluate interactions between PAM, turbidity and water chemistry. Results of the laboratory tests will be presented and discussed in the context of water conservation in the western US.
DE: 1838 Infiltration
DE: 1861 Sedimentation (4863)
DE: 1865 Soils (0486)
DE: 1875 Vadose zone
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005