Estimation of Mass Transport Parameters of Organic Compounds through High Density Polyethylene Geomembranes Using a Modifield Double-Compartment Apparatus

A modified double-compartment apparatus (MDCA) is used to estimate mass transport parameters of organic compounds through high density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembranes and to investigate the effects of aging and external tension of HDPE geomembranes on the mass transport of organic compounds. A developed one-dimensional partition–diffusion mass transport model successfully explains the mass transport of the organic compounds through the HDPE geomembranes in a dilute aqueous solution–geomembrane system. Similar to batch immersion tests, the HDPE–water partition coefficient (KHDPE–W) values of organic compounds are found to have close relationships with the octanol–water partition coefficient and the aqueous solubility; furthermore, the diffusion coefficient (D) values decrease with the increase of their molecular diameter. For HDPE geomembranes served in the landfill liner for 5 years and stretched by 8% of their initial length, KHDPE–W values for organic compounds increase by 5–58%, D values for organic compounds increase by 10–86%, and breakthrough times are faster, indicating more amounts of organic compounds may break through the HDPE geomembrane in fields than expected. The mass transport parameters from MDCA tests could be used with those from batch immersion tests interchangeably after mass loss and immobilization of organic compounds in MDCA tests are considered.