Concentration Pattern of Chemical Constituents in a Paper Mill's Effluent Plume: Dynamics and Model

Abstract

The variation of conductivity in the effluent plume for a paper mill discharge on Lake Superior was studied to provide data for predictive models. The study included measurements of local winds and currents which were analyzed and related to the plume's location. To determine the spatial distribution of the plume, a statistical one-dimensional model relating plume conductivity and distance from the outfall and a two-dimensional phenomenological model assuming eiliptically shaped isopleths were developed. It was found that chemical constituents of the plume can be expressed as linear functions of conductivity. The models thus enable the definition of the lake area affected by the effluent chemicals for different wind conditions.