Environmental Earth Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Effects of freeze‒thaw on soil loss under simulated composite upslope inflow and rainfall erosion in the black soil region of northeast China","authors":"Qing Bai,&nbsp;Lili Zhou,&nbsp;Haoming Fan,&nbsp;Donghao Huang,&nbsp;Defeng Yang,&nbsp;Hui Liu","doi":"10.1007/s12665-025-12306-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-025-12306-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Freeze‒thaw (FT) is the main cause of decreasing soil erodibility and changing hydrological characteristics during spring thawing period in the black soil region of northeast China, which further affects soil erosion. However, there is relatively limited research on the impacts of FT on upslope inflow and rainfall (RRI) composite erosion during this special period. This study simulated three combinations of upslope inflow (RO) rate (0.34, 0.5, and 0.67 L min⁻¹), rainfall (RF) intensity (80, 120, and 160 mm h⁻¹), and RRI (0.34 L min⁻¹‒80 mm h⁻¹, 0.5 L min⁻¹‒120 mm h⁻¹, 0.67 L min⁻¹‒160 mm h⁻¹) under FT and unfrozen (FT_UN) soil condition. The results showed that (1) FT extremely increased the sediment yield rate (SER) of RO and RF by 1750.0% to 5235.6% and 3.1% to 97.7%, respectively, while SER of RRI increased by 12.1% to 70.4%; (2) RRI had a nonlinear superposition amplification effect (SAE) on SER. During FT_UN, the average SAE was 293.9%, which decreased with increasing flow discharge; FT weakened the SAE, and the average SAE was 51.1%, increasing with the increase of flow discharge; (3) The domination force in RRI had been changed from RF during FT_UN to RO during FT; (4) Flow velocity (V) showed the best explanation to SER in RRI. However, the determination coefficient decreased from 0.62 to 0.56 after FT. Under the influence of FT, the critical V of RRI increased from 0.05 m s⁻¹ to 0.08 m s⁻¹. Under the influence of FT, RRI erosion intensified the SER, weakened the SAE, and changed the dominant force. Moreover, the V is the optimal hydrodynamic parameter for predicting RRI erosion. The research results can deepen the understanding of the erosion mechanism of RRI under the influence of FT in the black soil region of northeast China.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"84 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144073768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Study on local primary support method for tunnels based on the zoning results of excavation disturbed zone","authors":"Jixu Zhang,&nbsp;Xiaodong Fu,&nbsp;Chao Tan,&nbsp;Yongqiang Zhou,&nbsp;Qian Sheng,&nbsp;Chen Xu,&nbsp;Jiaming Wu","doi":"10.1007/s12665-025-12268-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-025-12268-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>To reduce tunnel construction costs, primary support methods are often optimized from the perspective of the support structure, while neglecting the influence of the surrounding rock, as the supported object. Firstly, a model test of primary support methods for tunnels was conducted to investigate the pressure, displacement, and failure characteristics of the surrounding rock under unsupported and full-face supported conditions. A preliminary concept for a local primary support method, which is based on the degree of disturbance cause by excavation in the surrounding rock, was proposed. Subsequently, using the Finite-Discrete Element Method, a quantitative index, the Crack Propagation Index (CPI), was introduced to characterize the degree of crack propagation, and a zoning standard for the Excavation Disturbed Zone (EDZ) based on the CPI was established, while a precise method for zoning the EDZ was proposed. The zoning method for the EDZ was applied to tunnels with different rock strength, revealing the influence of rock strength on the EDZ and validating the accuracy of the proposed zoning method. Finally, based on the zoning results of the EDZ, a local primary support method was developed. Shotcrete combined with anchor bolts was applied to the surrounding rock in the excavation fracture zone, while only shotcrete was used in the crack propagation and tiny crack zones. Compared to unsupported conditions, the local primary support increased the ultimate bearing capacity of the surrounding rock by 38.3%, ensuring rock stability and enhancing the economic efficiency of tunnel construction.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"84 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144073766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the reliability of data interpolation and machine learning methods for water quality management: a SWAT model comparison","authors":"Shubo Fang,&nbsp;Matthew J. Deitch,&nbsp;Tesfay G. Gebremicael","doi":"10.1007/s12665-025-12313-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-025-12313-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Due to data scarcity and the time-consuming nature of process-based modeling, SWAT often faces challenges in its application. This study evaluates the reliability of simple spatial interpolation using monitoring data, combined with advanced machine learning techniques, including Self-Organizing Maps (SOM), Generalized Additive Models (GAMs), Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis, and K-means clustering, to identify critical source areas (CSAs), key stressors, and thresholds for water quality management. Similar to SWAT-based analyses, the study found that forest cover and human-modified land use significantly affect total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) levels, while also revealing population density as an additional influential factor. GAMs showed that human-disturbed land use drives TN pollution, and population density is key to TP enrichment. ROC analysis identified thresholds of 40.91% for forest cover (close to SWAT results) and 10.21% for human-disturbed areas, which is lower than SWAT-based estimates. A population threshold of 239 significantly impacted TP, a factor not identified by SWAT modeling. K-means clustering highlighted clusters 1, 4, and 5 as high-priority areas, and SWAT modeling indicated that managing these clusters—covering 47.39% of the watershed—could mitigate 42.66% of TN and 41.34% of TP. While this approach cannot fully replace SWAT modeling, but simple and time saving, it proves to be helpful for identifying CSAs and informing water quality management strategies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"84 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143938171","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatiotemporal evolution of karst rocky desertification and its driving factors on a large spatial scale utilizing google earth engine","authors":"Sangui Yi,&nbsp;Yuanhe Huang,&nbsp;Zongling Liu,&nbsp;Fangmin Long,&nbsp;Shu Li,&nbsp;Lishuang Sun,&nbsp;Lvjing Luo,&nbsp;Hongxin Su","doi":"10.1007/s12665-025-12282-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-025-12282-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Karst rocky desertification (KRD) profoundly impacts the ecological health and sustainable development of karst areas. However, few studies have examined its evolution and driving factors on a large spatial scale. This research analyzed the KRD’s evolution and driving factors in southwestern China from 1990 to 2020 using Google Earth Engine (GEE). The main results were as follows: 1) Over the past three decades, KRD evolution demonstrated a trend of general improvement but localized deterioration. 2) Area transitions mainly occurred between non-rocky desertification (NRD) and light rocky desertification (LRD) in all periods, with the most significant degradation manifesting as the shift from NRD to LRD. 3) Among the single factors, precipitation consistently had the greatest contribution. Key interacting factors included combinations of precipitation and slope, precipitation and land use, slope and soil texture, and slope and wind speed. To address these findings, policymakers should implement localized KRD control projects with more focus on preventing NRD deterioration and conduct more in-depth research on the impacts of precipitation, geology, and human interference on KRD.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"84 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-025-12282-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143938387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization and sources of winter PM2.5 organic and elemental carbon in the high-altitude region of Qinling Mountains","authors":"Chun-Yang Wang,&nbsp;Shun Xiao,&nbsp;Rui-Ting Cai,&nbsp;Wen-Tao Du,&nbsp;Na Mi,&nbsp;Sui-Xin Liu,&nbsp;Jian-Bao Liu","doi":"10.1007/s12665-025-12229-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-025-12229-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study represents the first investigation into the pollution characteristics and sources of atmospheric carbonaceous aerosols in the high-altitude region of Taibai Mountain in the Qinling Mountains during the winter season. Atmospheric particulate matter (PM_2.5) samples were collected from December 2019 to February 2020. The OC/EC ratio, principal component analysis, and backward trajectory analysis were employed to characterize the composition and potential sources of carbonaceous components in PM_2.5. The results showed that during the winter sampling period, the average mass concentrations of PM_2.5, OC, and EC were 49.20 ± 27.73 μg/m³, 9.88 ± 3.68 μg/m³, and 2.01 ± 1.04 μg/m³, respectively. OC and EC accounted for 20.1% and 4.1% of PM_2.5, with an OC/EC ratio ranging from 2.98 to 9.94 and an average of 5.47, indicating a significant contribution from secondary organic carbon (SOC). The average SOC concentration was 3.88 ± 1.65 μg/m³, contributing 42% of OC and 7.9% of PM_2.5. Under varying air quality conditions, OC concentrations increased with pollution levels, whereas EC concentrations initially increased and then declined. The temporal variations of OC and EC closely followed those of PM_2.5, suggesting relatively stable local emission sources during the sampling period. A combination of PCA, backward trajectory, PSCF, and CWT analyses identified road dust, coal combustion, vehicle emissions, and industrial pollution as the dominant sources of carbonaceous aerosols. The PSCF and CWT results further revealed distinct spatial and seasonal variation in source regions. From December 2019 to January 2020, major contributions originated from the Guanzhong Plain (e.g., Xi’an, Xianyang, Baoji) and southern North China (southern Shanxi, northern Henan), where winter heating-related coal combustion and industrial emissions dominated. By February 2020, the high-contribution regions shifted southwestward to the northern Sichuan Basin and southern Shaanxi, reflecting seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation. The study demonstrates that both long-range transport and local emissions significantly influence wintertime carbonaceous aerosol levels in the high-altitude Qinling Mountains. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating seasonal transport dynamics in formulating cross-regional air pollution control strategies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"84 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143938388","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative assessment of classical and machine learning approaches for rainfall data restoration","authors":"Alireza Borhani Dariane,&nbsp;Matineh Imani Borhan","doi":"10.1007/s12665-025-12255-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-025-12255-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Incorporating a comprehensive long-term hydrological data is a crucial aspect of conducting water resource management studies. This approach enhances the precision of hydrological models. This article aims to investigate and compare various classical and machine learning (ML) methods for recovering missing rainfall data. The study focuses on five mountainous basins in the Central Alborz Ranges in Iran, utilizing 30 years of data. The classical methods used in the study include arithmetic average (AA), linear regression (LR), multiple linear regression (MLR), inverse distance weighting (IDW), kriging with three different semi-variogram and normal ratio (NR) models, and a suggested linear regression-arithmetic average (LR-AA) method. The ultimate goal is to identify suitable methods for accurately recovering missing rainfall data in the studied region. Several machine learning methods were employed to restore precipitation data, such as artificial neural networks (ANN), support vector regression (SVR), M5 trees, and, as a novel approach, two types of adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS). To ensure that the selected duration does not have any potential impact, three intervals of artificial gaps have been incorporated to minimize the uncertainties in recovery period. These periods include 1990–1993, 2002–2005, and 2011–2014. In addition, a Social Choice method was coupled with the evaluation criteria to enhance the comparison process. In general, the results indicate that machine learning methods outperform than the classical approaches. For example, during the gap of 2002–2005 in the Karaj basin, the SVR method is the most effective method with RMSE, NSE and <span>({text{R}}^{2})</span> criteria of 7.31 mm, 0.97, and 0.97, respectively. The proposed AA-LR method was found to perform better than AA or LR as well as most other classical methods. All methods have been thoroughly evaluated and compared using various criteria and aspects, making them a valuable reference for hydrological studies involving rainfall data recovery.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"84 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143938389","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hydrochemical characteristics and source identification of nitrate in surface water and shallow groundwater in the Poyang Lake Basin, China","authors":"Yihui Dong,&nbsp;Shiyi Zhu,&nbsp;Jiale Li,&nbsp;Wenwen Liu,&nbsp;Zebing Li,&nbsp;Zhanxue Sun,&nbsp;Chunhuang Liu","doi":"10.1007/s12665-025-12277-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-025-12277-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The hydrochemical characteristics and nitrate nitrogen–oxygen isotopes of lake water systems provide critical insights for identifying nitrate pollution sources and elucidating their formation mechanisms. This study investigated the Poyang Lake Basin using an integrated approach combining graphical analysis, statistical modeling, and Bayesian inference, based on 26 surface water and 31 groundwater samples collected in November 2019. The results revealed complex hydrochemical diversity in the study area, with HCO₃-Ca type water dominating both surface water (92.3%) and shallow groundwater (83.9%). While surface water originated primarily from atmospheric precipitation, shallow groundwater showed additional influences from water–rock interactions and cation exchange. Carbonate rocks, evaporites, and silicates constituted the primary anion sources for groundwater. Surface water nitrate exhibited strong positive correlations (r = 0.54–0.93) with TDS, HCO₃⁻, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, and major cations (K⁺, Ca²⁺, Na⁺, Mg²⁺). In contrast, groundwater nitrate demonstrated weaker correlations (r = 0.31–0.63) with these parameters, suggesting more intricate formation processes. Neither nitrification nor denitrification significantly influenced basin water chemistry. Source apportionment analysis identified soil nitrogen (45.2%) as the dominant nitrate contributor in surface water, followed by atmospheric deposition (28.1%), agricultural fertilizers (19.7%), and domestic waste (7.0%). These findings establish a theoretical foundation for ecological management and nitrate pollution control through comprehensive hydrochemical characterization and pollution source identification.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"84 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143938190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Resilience-based assessment of seismic risk by investigating the socioeconomic and structural earthquake engineering factors","authors":"Peyman Narjabadifam,&nbsp;Farshad Karazmay,&nbsp;Mohammad Noori,&nbsp;Donatello Cardone,&nbsp;Ehsan Noroozinejad Farsangi,&nbsp;Tao Wang,&nbsp;Fabio Orlando Stirnimann,&nbsp;Reza Hajizadeh,&nbsp;Marco Domaneschi,&nbsp;Dipanjan Basu,&nbsp;Wael A. Altabey,&nbsp;Raffaele Cucuzza,&nbsp;Ji Dang","doi":"10.1007/s12665-025-12274-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-025-12274-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Various impacts of earthquakes in different countries with distinct social and economic conditions (SEC) indicate that seismic risk is affected by SEC. It is also well accepted that seismic risk depends, through the quality of structures in built environments, on structural earthquake engineering (SEE) actions. The consequences of earthquakes correspondingly affect SEC and the status of SEE, at least by attracting attention to engineering solutions that aim to overcome the continuing challenge of safety against earthquakes. SEC and SEE are therefore two fundamental dimensions of sustainable seismic resilience, which is the key earthquake disaster risk reduction strategy. This paper explores resilience-related interactions between SEC and SEE to help humanity more effectively cope with the earthquake challenge. Ten earthquake-prone countries are selected as case studies. SEC are statistically evaluated based on some related criteria, including migration rate and monetary flow. The status of SEE is thoroughly investigated by considering both direct and indirect factors. The application of seismic isolation, the well-known SEE solution, and completeness of open street map projects are the studied direct factors. Death tolls and economic losses are considered as the indirect factors relating to inappropriate and inadequate preparedness against earthquakes. Interactions between SEC and SEE are discussed through detailed comparisons of the studied measures, and seismic risk is assessed based on resilience. It is shown that disaster risk reduction essentially requires economic support by the government and this can occur if the society is aware of the need for implementing effective SEE techniques in civil engineering practice.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"84 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143930111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First insights into the Late Quaternary fluvial history of the Nan River, northern Thailand","authors":"Prapawadee Srisunthon,&nbsp;Mubarak Abdulkarim,&nbsp;Alexander Berger,&nbsp;Damien Ertlen,&nbsp;Alexander Fülling,&nbsp;Lea Kirch,&nbsp;Daniela Mueller,&nbsp;Meike Reubold,&nbsp;Frank Preusser","doi":"10.1007/s12665-025-12243-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-025-12243-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Reconstructing fluvial dynamics is a fundamental requirement for understating the interaction between past environmental changes and human adaptation. This study focuses on the central part of the floodplain of the Nan River in northern Thailand that likely played a role in the catastrophic flood of 1818 CE, which damaged the ancient of Nan city and forced its relocation. We investigated nine sediment cores from the floodplain and from the eastern tributaries of the Nan River, to identify the potential source of floods in the past. By combining the analyses of sedimentary characteristics and provenance, the study reveals that the eastern tributaries were the dominant sediment source for most areas, with the Nan River only influencing areas close to its channel. According to optically stimulated luminescence dating, the highest sediment accumulation occurred during the eleventh to thirteenth centuries CE, coinciding with agricultural expansion and deforestation, suggesting increased erosion in the catchment of the tributaries. These findings challenge the assumption that the main Nan River has been the primary contributor to flooding catastrophes in the region and highlights the potential crucial role of smaller tributaries in similar settings in other parts of the globe.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"84 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-025-12243-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143925524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Timescales and solute breakthrough distances of diffusive radionuclide transport in low-permeability porous media","authors":"Aaron Peche,&nbsp;Tuong Vi Tran,&nbsp;Theresa Hennig,&nbsp;Vinay Kumar,&nbsp;Robert Kringel,&nbsp;Sven Altfelder","doi":"10.1007/s12665-025-12182-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s12665-025-12182-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The calculation of radionuclide transport in the subsurface is an important part of analyses to evaluate safety of nuclear waste disposal sites. Such calculations often emphasize on the solute breakthrough in space and time. In this context, unfractured low-permeability porous media represent effective radionuclide retention because diffusion becomes the dominant mode of transport. Under such conditions and for safe containment, diffusion is desired to be smallest, optimally in combination with large retardation by e.g. sorption. The present study investigates timescales and solute breakthrough distances for selected radionuclides in low-permeability porous media. The used mathematical model is the solute transport equation incorporating the processes of diffusion, sorption, and decay. Firstly, published physical through-diffusion experiments are recalculated in order to validate the transport parameters using a numerical simulator. Secondly, timescales and distances of radionuclide breakthrough are calculated using an analytical model. The simulation results indicate that solute breakthrough converges at a certain distance as decay becomes the dominant process limiting transport. For example, the migration of <span>(^{36})</span>Cl in Opalinus Clay converges at a solute breakthrough distance of approximately 162 m for timescales beyond 10 Mio years. Based on the results, an expression based on the <span>(2{text {nd}})</span> Damköhler number is introduced and its accuracy is demonstrated. With this simple equation, maximum solute breakthrough distances can be calculated based solely on the input of a dimensionsless number, the effective diffusion coefficient, the effective porosity or capacity factor, and the physical half-life. That expression is accurate (<span>(R^2=1.00)</span>) for non-sorbing radionuclides acting as inert tracers. For sorbing radionuclides, that equation deviates more from simulation results (<span>(R^2=0.77)</span>). Results of the present study contribute to long term safety analyses of nuclear waste disposal sites.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":542,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Earth Sciences","volume":"84 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s12665-025-12182-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143930121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}