Tracking The Transport Of Pollutants By Means Of Imaging Methods

A method for identification and tracking of pollutants plumes in water is presented and applied to laboratory data. This method uses the intensity threshold and associated image processing algorithms to identify the pollutant’s plume within a footage. Quantitative geometrical parameters are then extracted on each frame as proxies of the turbulent diffusion (i.e. area and perimeter) and advection (i.e. centroid location). From the determined plume location in each frame, it is then possible to devise a tracking algorithm which can determine the trajectory and eventual fate of the plume. The developed method is applied to two different types of plumes: one generated by a liquid pollutant (rhodamine) and another by a granular matrix type material (coal) to compare its capability of tracking different plumes. Although developed with laboratory images, the presented method is general and can be applied to field images as well. The advantages and limitations of the proposed methodology are also discussed.