Geophysical methods in soil and groundwater contamination studies: recent applications and developments

Geophysical methods offer substantial potential to support the characterization, monitoring, and remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater systems. Their ability to provide spatially continuous information through non- or minimally invasive techniques has motivated a wide range of applications in heterogeneous subsurface environments. Over the past decades, this has resulted in numerous case studies and several review papers. Nevertheless, insights reported in the literature remain difficult to relate across contamination types, subsurface conditions, spatial scales, and the timing of geophysical use.

This contribution presents a work-in-progress synthesis of recent peer-reviewed literature (approximately the last five years) on geophysical methods in soil and groundwater contamination studies. The synthesis covers studies ranging from controlled experimental settings to pilot-scale setups and full-scale field investigations. It provides an overview of the contaminants addressed, the geophysical techniques applied – individually and in combination – and their associated spatial scale, coverage, and resolution.

A specific point of attention is how geophysical data are interpreted, calibrated, or validated in relation to contaminant distribution, fate, and transport, as reported in the literature. For field-based studies, the synthesis also considers contextual aspects such as historic and present land use, the timing of geophysical application relative to investigation and remediation activities, and the level of detail and transparency in data reporting.

By structuring recent applications reported in the literature, this synthesis provides an updated overview of current practices and recurring challenges. By relating reported studies to different stages of the contaminated site investigation and remediation value chain, it aims to be relevant to both the scientific community and users in professional practice.