Leakage of stored CO 2 from a designated deep reservoir could contaminate overlying shallow potable aquifers by dissolution of arsenic-bearing minerals. To elucidate CO 2 leakage-induced arsenic contamination, 2D multispecies reactive transport models were developed and CO 2 leakage processes were simulated in the shallow groundwater aquifer. Throughout a series of numerical simulations, it was revealed that the movement of leaked CO 2 was primarily governed by local flow fields within the shallow potable aquifer. The induced low-pH plume caused dissolution of aquifer minerals and sequentially increased permeabilities of the aquifer; in particular, the most drastic increase in permeability appeared at the rear margin of CO 2 plume where two different types of groundwater mixed. The distribution of total arsenic (∑As) plume was similar to the one for the arsenopyrite dissolution. The breakthrough curve of ∑As monitored at the municipal well was utilized to quantify the human health risk. In addition, sensitivity studies were conducted with different sorption rates of arsenic species, CO 2 leakage rates, and horizontal permeability in the aquifer. In conclusion, the human health risk was influenced by the shape of ∑As plume, which was, in turn, affected by the characteristics of CO 2 plume behavior such as horizontal permeability and CO 2 leakage rate.
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