Authors: S.M. Prostov, E.A. Shabanov, A.A. Bushuev

Title of the article: Testing an electrophysical method for diagnosing pollution zones and monitoring their electrical treatment processes in field conditions

Year: 2026, Issue: 1, Pages: 65-76

Branch of knowledge: 2.8.3 Mining and oil and gas geology, geophysics, mine surveying and subsurface geometry

Index UDK: 504.064:550.837.3:550.84.02

DOI: 10.26730/1999-4125-2026-1-65-76

Abstract: The prospects of the electrophysical method for diagnostics of the zone artificially contaminated with oil products or acid (alkali) solutions have been substantiated and an experimental verification of its efficiency has been performed in natural conditions at a special testing ground using the electrical sounding method, as well as for monitoring the processes of electrical treatment of the contaminated zone using a microprobe system. It has been established that the zones of contamination of the surface layers of sandy-clayey soils with electrically contrasting oil products (oils, gasolines, etc.) and solutions of inorganic compounds (acids, alkalis) are reliably diagnosed based on the results of vertical electrical soundings and electrical profiling, respectively, based on positive and negative anomalies of the effective specific electrical resistance (SER). Continuous monitoring of the processes of osmotic transfer of contaminated pore fluid during electrical treatment with the possibility of its subsequent pumping out, soil drying and coagulation of oil components with their transformation into an insoluble solid, less toxic state is ensured by changes in electrical resistivity by installing microprobes in the interelectrode space or integrally using injector electrodes as measuring electrodes. At the pilot plant under natural conditions during electrical treatment of soil artificially contaminated with oil products with a contamination coefficient of Kз0 = 7%, the processes of coagulation of the oil base and changes in the granulometric composition of soils were recorded by variations in the effective electrical resistivity, while the final values ​​were: for oil contamination Kз = 3,64%, for gasoline contamination Kз = 4,55%. In the interelectrode space during electrical treatment of the acid contaminated zone, the following are predominant: at the initial stage, osmotic movement of the acid solution from the cathode to the anode and an increase in the concentration of ions due to the electrolytic decomposition of water; During subsequent processing, when the massif is heated, its drying with loss of moisture becomes predominant, which leads to an increase in the resistivity, especially in the near-electrode zones.

Key words: pollution petroleum products acid alkali electrical resistance probing microprobe

Receiving date: 01.04.2025

Approval date: 15.01.2026

Publication date: 19.03.2026

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