Understanding and measuring groundwater gases

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Dissolved groundwater gases have been under-utilized as a tool to understand groundwater geochemistry partly because their sampling and analysis can be challenging. Groundwater gases are particularly important in the natural attenuation of groundwater contaminants, since many of the desired end products are gases (e.g. CO2, CH4, and N2). True dissolved gas concentration estimates rely on accurate in situ measurement of total dissolved gas pressure (TDGP). The measurement of TDGP, and its incorporation into 'true' groundwater gas concentration estimation is relatively new, and accurate field measurement approaches are still in development. The goal of this proposal will be to improve accurate groundwater gas pressure measurement, and to use these improved techniques to better understand controls on groundwater gas ebullition and transport. This will permit more robust mass balances of geochemical reactions (including natural attenuation of groundwater contaminants).