Performance of a zerovalent iron reactive barrier for the treatment of arsenic in groundwater: Part 1. Hydrogeochemical studies

Spatiotemporal Mineral Phase Evolution and Arsenic Retention in Microfluidic Models of Zerovalent Iron-Based Water Treatment

Arsenic (As) is a toxic element, and elevated levels of geogenic As in drinking water pose a threat to the health of several hundred million people worldwide. In this study, we used microfluidics in combination with optical microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy to investigate zerovalent iron (ZVI) corrosion, secondary iron (Fe) phase formation, and As retention processes at the pore scale in ZVI-based water treatment filters. Two 250 μm thick microchannels filled with single ZVI and quartz grain layers were operated intermittently (12 h flow/12 h no-flow) with synthetic groundwater (pH 7.5; 570 μg/L As(III)) over 13 and 49 days. Initially, lepidocrocite (Lp) and carbonate green rust (GRC) were the dominant secondary Fe-phases and underwent cyclic transformation. During no-flow, lepidocrocite partially transformed into GRC and small fractions of magnetite, kinetically limited by Fe(II) diffusion or by decreasing corrosion rates. When flow resumed, GRC rapidly and nearly completely transformed back into lepidocrocite. Longer filter operation combined with a prolonged no-flow period accelerated magnetite formation. Phosphate adsorption onto Fe-phases allowed for downstream calcium carbonate precipitation and, consequently, accelerated anoxic ZVI corrosion. Arsenic was retained on Fe-coated quartz grains and in zones of cyclic Lp-GRC transformation. Our results suggest that intermittent filter operation leads to denser secondary Fe-solids and thereby ensures prolonged filter performance.

Removal of As(V) from water using galvanically coupled sacrificial metals

The Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) is one of the sustainable methods of environmental remediation for groundwater treatment. On using iron as reactive media for PRBs, the longevity of the column is affected by the accumulation of iron corrosion products resulting in permeability reduction. Hence, in this work, iron and zinc are employed as sacrificial metals to remove 50 mg/L As(V) from aqueous solution in an oxic environment, where copper is added as a noble metal. The iron-based system followed first-order reaction kinetics with rate constants -1.65 × 10^-3 min^-1 for iron and 2.95 × 10^-3 min^-1 for copper-iron. The zinc-based system followed second-order reaction kinetics with rate constants - 1.26 × 10^-4 L.mg^-1.min^-1for zinc and 4.67 × 10^-4 L.mg^-1.min^-1 for copper-zinc. The half-life was computed to be 420.1, 234.9. 171.1, and 46.6 min for Fe, Cu‒Fe, Zn, and Cu‒Zn. The constant supply of adsorption sites is ensured by the continuous generation of corrosion products by sacrificial metals on galvanically coupling with copper. The effectiveness of arsenic retention can be in the order: Cu‒Zn > Cu‒Fe > Zn > Fe. Among the studied systems, the copper-zinc system can be suggested as the best possible reactive media for PRB in arsenic remediation of groundwater.

Rare-Earth Elements as Natural Tracers for In Situ Remediation of Groundwater

The utility of rare-earth elements (REEs) as natural geochemical tracers for the analysis of groundwater remediation was examined in several example permeable reactive barriers (PRBs). The PRBs utilize zero-valent iron and organic carbon plus limestone mixtures for contaminant treatment. Zero-valent iron removed REEs from groundwater to below detection levels (2-4 ng/L) and subsequent rebound of REE concentrations in regions down-gradient of the treatment zones was not observed. In addition, REE concentrations within and down-gradient of an organic carbon/limestone PRB were significantly reduced to <1% of influent levels. Thus, REEs are sensitive tracers for evaluating the interaction of groundwater with materials placed in the subsurface for contaminant remediation. Analysis of geochemical tracers for understanding in situ remediation becomes important in situations where down-gradient contaminant concentrations fail to decrease within expected timeframes. The field data indicated that increased solid-phase partitioning of REEs occurred with increasing pH and heavy REEs were preferentially removed compared to light REEs in ZVI systems. In the organic carbon PRB, unexpected negative europium anomalies were observed, revealing new information about redox conditions within the treatment zone. REE concentrations and shale-normalized profiles can be used as natural tracers to better understand in situ technologies for groundwater remediation.

Removal of Arsenate and Arsenite in Equimolar Ferrous and Ferric Sulfate Solutions through Mineral Coprecipitation: Formation of Sulfate Green Rust, Goethite, and Lepidocrocite

An improved understanding of in situ mineralization in the presence of dissolved arsenic and both ferrous and ferric iron is necessary because it is an important geochemical process in the fate and transformation of arsenic and iron in groundwater systems. This work aimed at evaluating mineral phases that could form and the related transformation of arsenic species during coprecipitation. We conducted batch tests to precipitate ferrous (133 mM) and ferric (133 mM) ions in sulfate (533 mM) solutions spiked with As (0–100 mM As(V) or As(III)) and titrated with solid NaOH (400 mM). Goethite and lepidocrocite were formed at 0.5–5 mM As(V) or As(III). Only lepidocrocite formed at 10 mM As(III). Only goethite formed in the absence of added As(V) or As(III). Iron (II, III) hydroxysulfate green rust (sulfate green rust or SGR) was formed at 50 mM As(III) at an equilibrium pH of 6.34. X-ray analysis indicated that amorphous solid products were formed at 10–100 mM As(V) or 100 mM As(III). The batch tests showed that As removal ranged from 98.65–100%. Total arsenic concentrations in the formed solid phases increased with the initial solution arsenic concentrations ranging from 1.85–20.7 g kg⁻¹. Substantial oxidation of initially added As(III) to As(V) occurred, whereas As(V) reduction did not occur. This study demonstrates that concentrations and species of arsenic in the parent solution influence the mineralogy of coprecipitated solid phases, which in turn affects As redox transformations.

Arsenic immobilization by in-situ iron coating for managed aquifer rehabilitation

A long-lasting challenge in eliminating the worldwide impact of geogenic arsenic (As)-contaminated groundwater is the development of efficient, in-situ treatment technologies that are applicable in decentralized and rural areas. Here we present a managed aquifer rehabilitation (MAR) approach based on the in-situ creation of Fe-oxide scavengers for remediating As-contaminated groundwater. The Fe-oxide coatings on sediment surfaces were generated via periodic injection of Fe²⁺ and ClO^- solutions into an As-affected sandy aquifer at the Datong Basin, northern China for 25 days. This treatment prompted the buildup of weakly alkaline/circumneutral and oxidizing conditions to enhance As(III) oxidation in the target aquifer. Dissolved As concentrations decreased from the initial average 78.0 to 9.8 μg/L over the 25-d amendment. Sediment imaging by scanning electron microscope-X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy confirms the deposition of Fe-rich precipitates on sediment surfaces with the simultaneous retention of As, and high density electrical tomography suggests the occurrence of such a process throughout the target zone. Further X-ray diffraction analysis and sequential chemical extraction reveal that the neo-formed Fe minerals comprised both poorly crystalline (e.g., ferrihydrite) and better crystalline (e.g., goethite) Fe oxides. The process-based reactive-transport modeling for the variations of As species in the treated groundwater supports that the new Fe-oxide minerals, most probably goethite, acted as efficient removers of aqueous As. The low As level of ∼10 μg/L was maintained during the following 215-d monitoring, demonstrating the long effectiveness of the MAR approach. This study highlights the feasibility of As immobilization by manipulating in-situ Fe-oxide coating on sandy sediments at the pilot scale. The MAR technology may be applicable for As-affected aquifers with controlled oxidizing conditions in the Datong Basin and likely other high-As regions with similar hydrogeochemical settings.

Making 'Chemical Cocktails' - Evolution of Urban Geochemical Processes across the Periodic Table of Elements

Urbanization contributes to the formation of novel elemental combinations and signatures in terrestrial and aquatic watersheds, also known as 'chemical cocktails.' The composition of chemical cocktails evolves across space and time due to: (1) elevated concentrations from anthropogenic sources, (2) accelerated weathering and corrosion of the built environment, (3) increased drainage density and intensification of urban water conveyance systems, and (4) enhanced rates of geochemical transformations due to changes in temperature, ionic strength, pH, and redox potentials. Characterizing chemical cocktails and underlying geochemical processes is necessary for: (1) tracking pollution sources using complex chemical mixtures instead of individual elements or compounds; (2) developing new strategies for co-managing groups of contaminants; (3) identifying proxies for predicting transport of chemical mixtures using continuous sensor data; and (4) determining whether interactive effects of chemical cocktails produce ecosystem-scale impacts greater than the sum of individual chemical stressors. First, we discuss some unique urban geochemical processes which form chemical cocktails, such as urban soil formation, human-accelerated weathering, urban acidification-alkalinization, and freshwater salinization syndrome. Second, we review and synthesize global patterns in concentrations of major ions, carbon and nutrients, and trace elements in urban streams across different world regions and make comparisons with reference conditions. In addition to our global analysis, we highlight examples from some watersheds in the Baltimore-Washington DC region, which show increased transport of major ions, trace metals, and nutrients across streams draining a well-defined land-use gradient. Urbanization increased the concentrations of multiple major and trace elements in streams draining human-dominated watersheds compared to reference conditions. Chemical cocktails of major and trace elements were formed over diurnal cycles coinciding with changes in streamflow, dissolved oxygen, pH, and other variables measured by high-frequency sensors. Some chemical cocktails of major and trace elements were also significantly related to specific conductance (p<0.05), which can be measured by sensors. Concentrations of major and trace elements increased, peaked, or decreased longitudinally along streams as watershed urbanization increased, which is consistent with distinct shifts in chemical mixtures upstream and downstream of other major cities in the world. Our global analysis of urban streams shows that concentrations of multiple elements along the Periodic Table significantly increase when compared with reference conditions. Furthermore, similar biogeochemical patterns and processes can be grouped among distinct mixtures of elements of major ions, dissolved organic matter, nutrients, and trace elements as chemical cocktails. Chemical cocktails form in urban waters over diurnal cycles, decades, and throughout drainage basins. We conclude our global review and synthesis by proposing strategies for monitoring and managing chemical cocktails using source control, ecosystem restoration, and green infrastructure. We discuss future research directions applying the watershed chemical cocktail approach to diagnose and manage environmental problems. Ultimately, a chemical cocktail approach targeting sources, transport, and transformations of different and distinct elemental combinations is necessary to more holistically monitor and manage the emerging impacts of chemical mixtures in the world's fresh waters.

Versatility of iron-rich steel waste for the removal of high arsenic and sulfate concentrations in water

The aim of this work is to evaluate the application of a steel waste, basic oxygen furnace sludge (BOFS), rich in iron, to treat water contaminated with elevated arsenic and sulfate concentrations. In the first step, three doses (10, 60, and 80 g L^-1) of BOFS were tested to investigate the removal of As(III) and As(V) (67 mg L^-1) and sulfate (3700 mg L^-1) separately from an aqueous solution. In the second step, the efficacies of BOFS (10 g L^-1) and commercial ZVI (5 g L^-1) were compared to simultaneously remove arsenic and sulfate. The pH of the feed solution was adjusted to 2.5 and monitored during the experiment. The use of BOFS achieved arsenic removal up to 92% and sulfate removal of nearly 40% after 72 h of contact time. Use of BOFS also increased the solution pH to 12. Similar removal levels were achieved with both BOFS and ZVI. These results confirm the potential application of BOFS to remove high arsenic and sulfate concentrations from acidic solutions. The data obtained here should be used as a basis for further studies on the remediation of acid mine drainage with high concentrations of arsenic and sulfate using an abundant and low-cost steel waste.

Groundwater co-contaminant behavior of arsenic and selenium at a lead and zinc smelting facility

Co-contaminant behavior of arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) in groundwater is examined in this study at a former lead and zinc smelting facility. We collected water quality data, including concentrations of trace metals, major ions, and metalloid speciation, over a 15-year period to document long-term trends and relationships between As, Se, geochemical parameters, and other redox-sensitive trace metals. Concentrations of dissolved As and Se were negatively correlated (Kendall's Tau B correlation coefficient, r = -0.72) and showed a distinctive L-shaped relationship. High-concentration arsenic wells (>5 mg L-1) were characterized by intermediate oxidation-reduction conditions (75 < Eh < 275 mV), near-neutral pH (6.1-7.9), low Ca/Na ratios, elevated Fe and Mn concentrations, and high proportions of As(III) relative to total dissolved As. High-concentration Se wells (>500 μg L-1) were characterized by more positive Eh (305-500 mV), low Fe concentrations, and high proportions of As(V). Batch micocosm experiments showed that aquifer solids contain mineral surfaces and/or microbial communities capable of removing selenate from groundwater. Electron microprobe and Se K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopic analyses demonstrated that Se was predominantly associated with elemental Se in the reduced aquifer solids. Factor analysis revealed three discernible groupings of trace metals. Group I includes U, Se, and nitrate-N, all of which are mobile under oxygenated to moderately oxygenated conditions. Group II includes elements that are mobile under Fe(III)-reducing conditions: Fe, total dissolved As, As(III), and ammonium-N. Group III elements (Mo, Sb, and V) showed mobility across the entire range of redox conditions encountered in site groundwater; As(V) clustered with this group of elements. Geochemical modeling suggests that As and Se species were in a state of disequilibrium with respect to measured parameters indicative of redox conditions, although predicted patterns of redox-controlled mobility and attenuation were confirmed. This analysis is important to better understand groundwater contaminant behavior in response to redox conditions ranging from oxic/suboxic to Fe(III)-reducing, but excluding sulfate-reducing conditions.

Enhancing As(V) adsorption and passivation using biologically formed nano-sized FeS coatings on limestone: Implications for acid mine drainage treatment and neutralization

The iron-reducing bacterium Acidiphilium cryputum JF-5 and a sulfate reducing bacterium (SRB) collected and purified from the mine drainage of a copper mine in the northwest of Sichuan Province, China, were used to biologically synthesize nano-sized FeS-coated limestone to remove As(V) from solution. The adsorption efficiency of As(V) is improved from 6.64 μg/g with limestone alone to 187 μg/g with the FeS coated limestone in both batch and column experiments. The hydraulic conductivity of the columns are also improved by the presence of the nano-sized FeS coatings, but the solution neutralization performance of the limestone can be reduced by passivation by gypsum and Fe(III) precipitates. Calculations for FeS-coated limestone dissolution experiments show that the process can be described as n_Ca.sol = At^1/2 - n_Ca,gyp. The results suggest that FeS-coated limestone may be an effective medium for remediating As(V)-bearing solutions such as acid mine drainage in systems such as Permeable Reactive Barriers.

Determination of rate constants and branching ratios for TCE degradation by zero-valent iron using a chain decay multispecies model

The applicability of a newly-developed chain-decay multispecies model (CMM) was validated by obtaining kinetic rate constants and branching ratios along the reaction pathways of trichloroethene (TCE) reduction by zero-valent iron (ZVI) from column experiments. Changes in rate constants and branching ratios for individual reactions for degradation products over time for two columns under different geochemical conditions were examined to provide ranges of those parameters expected over the long-term. As compared to the column receiving deionized water, the column receiving dissolved CaCO3 showed higher mean degradation rates for TCE and all of its degradation products. However, the column experienced faster reactivity loss toward TCE degradation due to precipitation of secondary carbonate minerals, as indicated by a higher value for the ratio of maximum to minimum TCE degradation rate observed over time. From the calculated branching ratios, it was found that TCE and cis-dichloroethene (cis-DCE) were dominantly dechlorinated to chloroacetylene and acetylene, respectively, through reductive elimination for both columns. The CMM model, validated by the column test data in this study, provides a convenient tool to determine simultaneously the critical design parameters for permeable reactive barriers and natural attenuation such as rate constants and branching ratios.

Column test-based optimization of the permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technique for remediating groundwater contaminated by landfill leachates

We investigated the optimum composition of permeable reactive barrier (PRB) materials for remediating groundwater heavily contaminated by landfill leachate, in column tests using various mixtures of zero-valent iron (ZVI), zeolite (Zeo) and activated carbon (AC) with 0.01-0.25, 3.0-5.0 and 0.7-1.0mm grain sizes, respectively. The main contributors to the removal of organic/inorganic contaminants were ZVI and AC, and the optimum weight ratio of the three PRB materials for removing the contaminants and maintaining adequate hydraulic conductivity was found to be 5:1:4. Average reductions in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and contents of total nitrogen (TN), ammonium, Ni, Pb and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from test samples using this mixture were 55.8%, 70.8%, 89.2%, 70.7%, 92.7% and 94.2%, respectively. We also developed a systematic method for estimating the minimum required thickness and longevity of the PRB materials. A ≥ 309.6 cm layer with the optimum composition is needed for satisfactory longevity, defined here as meeting the Grade III criteria (the Chinese National Bureau of Standards: GB/T14848/93) for in situ treatment of the sampled groundwater for ≥ 10 years.

Consideration of grain packing in granular iron treatability studies

Commercial granular iron (GI) is light steel that is used in Permeable Reactive Barriers (PRBs). Investigations into the reactivity of GI have focused on its chemical nature and relatively little direct work has been done to account for the effects of grain shape and packing. Both of these factors are expected to influence available grain surface area, which is known to correlate to reactivity. Commercial granular iron grains are platy and therefore pack in preferential orientations that could affect solution access to the surface. Three packing variations were investigated using Connelly Iron and trichloroethylene (TCE). Experimental kinetic data showed reaction rates 2-4 times higher when grains were packed with long axes preferentially parallel to flow (VP) compared to packings with long axes preferentially perpendicular to flow (HP) or randomly arranged (RP). The variations were found to be explainable by variations in reactive sorption capacities, i.e., sorption to sites where chemical transformations took place. The possibility that the different reactive sorption capacities were related to physical pore-scale differences was assessed by conducting an image analysis of the pore structure of sectioned columns. The analyses suggested that pore-scale factors - in particular the grain surface availability, reflected in the sorption capacity terms of the kinetic model used - could only account for a fraction of the observed reactivity differences between packing types. It is concluded that packing does affect observable reaction rates but that micro-scale features on the grain surfaces, rather than the pore scale characteristics, account for most of the apparent reactivity differences. This result suggests that treatability tests should consider the packing of columns carefully if they are to mimic field performance of PRBs to the greatest extent possible.

Coupled effects of aging and weak magnetic fields on sequestration of selenite by zero-valent iron

The sequestration of Se(IV) by zero-valent iron (ZVI) is strongly influenced by the coupled effects of aging ZVI and the presence of a weak magnetic field (WMF). ZVI aged at pH 6.0 with MES as buffer between 6 and 60 h gave nearly constant rates of Se(IV) removal with WMF but with rate constants that are 10- to 100-fold greater than without. XANES analysis showed that applying WMF changes the mechanism of Se(IV) removal by ZVI aged for 6-60 h from adsorption followed by reduction to direct reduction. The strong correlation between Se(IV) removal and Fe2+ release suggests direct reduction of Se(IV) to Se(0) by Fe0, in agreement with the XANES analysis. The numerical simulation of ZVI magnetization revealed that the WMF influence on Se(IV) sequestration is associated mainly with the ferromagnetism of ZVI and the paramagnetism of Fe2+. In the presence of the WMF, the Lorentz force gives rise to convection in the solution, which narrows the diffusion layer, and the field gradient force, which tends to move paramagnetic ions (esp. Fe2+) along the higher field gradient at the ZVI particle surface, thereby inducing nonuniform depassivation and eventually localized corrosion of the ZVI surface.

Comparison of treated laterite as arsenic adsorbent from different locations and performance of best filter under field conditions

Arsenic pollution in groundwater is a worldwide concern due to its chronic effects on human health. Numerous studies have been carried out to obtain cost-effective arsenic removal method. Adsorption using natural materials or its treated forms is found to be cost-effective technology. Raw laterite (RL) or its treated form (TL) is studied recently as arsenic adsorbent for aqueous system. Laterite composition varies with geographical location and extent of lateritization. The study on effects of arsenic adsorption with varying composition of laterite is not explored yet. Four laterite samples with different compositions are examined to remove arsenic from water. These laterite samples are activated using an optimized acid followed by base treatment method in order to determine the effects of RL composition on arsenic adsorption behavior of TL. Higher iron and aluminum containing RL samples show higher arsenic adsorption behavior. Similarly, TL obtained from higher iron and aluminum containing RL sample shows the higher specific surface area (130-180 m(2) g(-1)) and pore volume (0.28-0.35 mL g(-1)). Two household filters using TL are deployed in arsenic affected area of Barasat, 24 Parganas (N), West Bengal, India and their performance is monitored for about a year.

Modeling gas formation and mineral precipitation in a granular iron column

In granular iron permeable reactive barriers (PRBs), hydrogen gas formation, entrapment and release of gas bubbles, and secondary mineral precipitation have been known to affect the permeability and reactivity. The multicomponent reactive transport model MIN3P was enhanced to couple gas formation and release, secondary mineral precipitation, and the effects of these processes on hydraulic properties and iron reactivity. The enhanced model was applied to a granular iron column, which was studied for the treatment of trichloroethene (TCE) in the presence of dissolved CaCO(3). The simulation reasonably reproduced trends in gas formation, secondary mineral precipitation, permeability changes, and reactivity changes observed over time. The simulation showed that the accumulation of secondary minerals reduced the reactivity of the granular iron over time, which in turn decreased the rate of mineral accumulation, and also resulted in a gradual decrease in gas formation over time. This study provides a quantitative assessment of the evolving nature of geochemistry and permeability, resulting from coupled processes of gas formation and mineral precipitation, which leads to a better understanding of the processes controlling the granular iron reactivity, and represents an improved method for incorporating these factors into the design of granular iron PRBs.

The structure of the mineral leogangite Cu10(OH)6(SO4)(AsO4)4·8H2O--implications for arsenic accumulation and removal

The objective of this research is to determine the molecular structure of the mineral leogangite. The formation of the types of arsenosulphate minerals offers a mechanism for arsenate removal from soils and mine dumps. Raman and infrared spectroscopy have been used to characterise the mineral. Observed bands are assigned to the stretching and bending vibrations of (SO(4))(2-) and (AsO(4))(3-) units, stretching and bending vibrations of hydrogen bonded (OH)(-) ions and Cu(2+)-(O,OH) units. The approximate range of O-H⋯O hydrogen bond lengths is inferred from the Raman spectra. Raman spectra of leogangite from different origins differ in that some spectra are more complex, where bands are sharp and the degenerate bands of (SO(4))(2-) and (AsO(4))(3-) are split and more intense. Lower wavenumbers of δ H(2)O bending vibration in the spectrum may indicate the presence of weaker hydrogen bonds compared with those in different leogangite samples. The formation of leogangite offers a mechanism for the removal of arsenic from the environment.

Remediation technologies for heavy metal contaminated groundwater

The contamination of groundwater by heavy metal, originating either from natural soil sources or from anthropogenic sources is a matter of utmost concern to the public health. Remediation of contaminated groundwater is of highest priority since billions of people all over the world use it for drinking purpose. In this paper, thirty five approaches for groundwater treatment have been reviewed and classified under three large categories viz chemical, biochemical/biological/biosorption and physico-chemical treatment processes. Comparison tables have been provided at the end of each process for a better understanding of each category. Selection of a suitable technology for contamination remediation at a particular site is one of the most challenging job due to extremely complex soil chemistry and aquifer characteristics and no thumb-rule can be suggested regarding this issue. In the past decade, iron based technologies, microbial remediation, biological sulphate reduction and various adsorbents played versatile and efficient remediation roles. Keeping the sustainability issues and environmental ethics in mind, the technologies encompassing natural chemistry, bioremediation and biosorption are recommended to be adopted in appropriate cases. In many places, two or more techniques can work synergistically for better results. Processes such as chelate extraction and chemical soil washings are advisable only for recovery of valuable metals in highly contaminated industrial sites depending on economical feasibility.

In-situ remediation of acid mine drainage using a permeable reactive barrier in Aznalcóllar (Sw Spain)

Following on the accident occurred in Aznalcóllar in 1998, whereby a huge amount of acid mine drainage and heavy metal-bearing pyritic sludge was released to the Agrio river valley with the subsequent contamination of groundwater, a subsurface permeable reactive barrier (PRB) was installed to mitigate the long-term impacts by the spillage. The PRB material consisted of a mixture of limestone and vegetal compost. A particular characteristic of the Agrio aquifer is its high water flow velocity (0.5-1 m/d), which may pose difficulties in its remediation using PRB technology. The present study reports the 36-month performance of the PRB. Vertical differences in water velocity were observed within the PRB, with the deeper part being slower and more effective in neutralizing pH and removing heavy metals (Zn, Al, Cu). On the other hand, partial sulfate removal appeard to be restricted to the bottom of the PRB, but with no apparent influence on downgradient water quality. The results are finally compared with the other four reported existing PRBs for AMD worldwide.

Predictions of long-term performance of granular iron permeable reactive barriers: field-scale evaluation

Long-term performance is a key consideration for the granular iron permeable reactive barrier (PRB) technology because the economic benefit relies on sustainable operation for substantial periods of time. However, predictions on the long-term performance have been limited mainly because of the lack of reliable modeling tools. This study evaluated the predictive capability of a recently-developed reactive transport model at two field-scale PRBs, both having relatively high concentrations of dissolved carbonate in the native groundwater. The first site, with 8 years of available monitoring data, was a funnel-and-gate installation, with a low groundwater velocity through the gate (about 0.12 m d(-1)). The loss in iron reactivity caused by secondary mineral precipitation was small, maintaining relatively high removal rates for chlorinated organics. The simulated concentrations for most constituents in the groundwater were within the range of the monitoring data. The second site, with monitoring data available for 5 years, was a continuous wall PRB, designed for a groundwater velocity of 0.9 m d(-1). A comparison of measured and simulated aqueous concentrations suggested that the average groundwater velocity through the PRB could be lower than the design value by a factor of two or more. The distribution and amounts of carbonate minerals measured in core samples supported the decreased groundwater velocity used in the simulation. The generally good agreement between the simulated and measured aqueous and solid-phase data suggest that the model could be an effective tool for predicting long-term performance of granular iron PRBs, particularly in groundwater with high concentrations of carbonate.

Evaluation of five strategies to limit the impact of fouling in permeable reactive barriers

Ground water flow and geochemical reactive transport models were used to assess the effectiveness of five strategies used to limit fouling and to enhance the long-term hydraulic behavior of continuous-wall permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) employing granular zero valent iron (ZVI). The flow model accounted for geological heterogeneity and the reactive transport model included a geochemical algorithm for simulating iron corrosion and mineral precipitation reactions that have been observed in ZVI PRBs. The five strategies that were evaluated are pea gravel equalization zones, a sacrificial pre-treatment zone, pH adjustment, large ZVI particles, and mechanical treatment. Results of simulations show that installation of pea gravel equalization zones results in flow equalization and a more uniform distribution of residence times within the PRB. Residence times within the PRB are less affected by mineral precipitation when a pre-treatment zone is employed. pH adjustment limits the total amount of hydroxide ions in ground water to reduce porosity reduction and to retain larger residence times. Larger ZVI particles reduce porosity reduction as a result of the smaller iron surface area for iron corrosion, and retain longer residence time. Mechanical treatment redistributes the porosity uniformly throughout the PRB over time, which is effective in maintaining residence time.

AsIII oxidation by Thiomonas arsenivorans in up-flow fixed-bed reactors coupled to As sequestration onto zero-valent iron-coated sand

The combined processes of biological As(III) oxidation and removal of As(III) and As(V) by zero-valent iron were investigated with synthetic water containing high As(III) concentration (10 mg L(-1)). Two up-flow fixed-bed reactors (R1 and R2) were filled with 2 L of sieved sand (d = 3 ± 1 mm) while zero-valent iron powder (d = 76 μm; 1% (w/w) of sand) was mixed evenly with sand in R2. Thiomonas arsenivorans was inoculated in the two reactors. The pilot unit was studied for 33 days, with HRT of 4 and 1 h. The maximal As(III) oxidation rate was 8.36 mg h(-1) L(-1) in R1 and about 45% of total As was removed in R2 for an HRT of 1 h. A first order model fitted well with the As(III) concentration evolution at the different levels in R1. At the end of the pilot monitoring, batch tests were conducted with support collected at different levels in R1. They showed that bacterial As(III) oxidation rate was correlated with the axial length of reactor, which could be explained by biomass distribution in reactor or by bacterial activity. In opposition, As(III) oxidation rate was not stable in R2 due to the simultaneous bacterial As(III) oxidation and chemical removal by zero-valent iron and its oxidant products. However, a durable removal of total As was realized and zero-valent iron was not saturated by As over 33 days in R2. Furthermore, the influence of zero-valent iron and its oxidant corrosion products on the evolution of As(III)-oxidizing bacteria diversity was highlighted by the molecular fingerprinting method of PCR-DGGE using aoxB gene as a functional marker of aerobic As(III) oxidizers.

In situ removal of arsenic from groundwater by using permeable reactive barriers of organic matter/limestone/zero-valent iron mixtures

In this study, two mixtures of municipal compost, limestone and, optionally, zero-valent iron were assessed in two column experiments on acid mine treatment. The effluent solution was systematically analysed throughout the experiment and precipitates from both columns were withdrawn for scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry analysis and, from the column containing zero-valent iron, solid digestion and sequential extraction analysis. The results showed that waters were cleaned of arsenic, metals and acidity, but chemical and morphological analysis suggested that metal removal was not due predominantly to biogenic sulphide generation but to pH increase, i.e. metal (oxy)hydroxide and carbonate precipitation. Retained arsenic and metal removal were clearly associated to co-precipitation with and/or sorption on iron and aluminum (oxy)hydroxides. An improvement on the arsenic removal efficiency was achieved when the filling mixture contained zero-valent iron. Values of arsenic concentrations were then always below 10 microg/L.

Arsenite removal from waters by zero valent iron: batch and column tests

This study investigates the efficiency of zero valent iron (ZVI) to remove arsenite from water. Batch experiments were carried out to study the removal rates of arsenite under different pH values and in the presence of low and high concentrations of various ions (chloride, carbonate, nitrate, phosphate, sulfate and borate), manganese and dissolved organic matter. Most of these parameters affect negatively the removal of arsenite. Particularly, borate and organic matter at high concentrations significantly inhibited the efficiency of ZVI. Column tests were carried out to investigate the removal of arsenic under dynamic conditions and breakthrough curves were found for arsenate, arsenite and a mixture of both. ZVI treatment was also applied to natural groundwaters with elevated arsenic concentrations under the geochemical conditions usually found in Greece. The method was efficient for groundwater containing As(V). However, in anoxic-reducing groundwaters with prevalence of As(III), treated water did not fulfill the guideline of 10 microg L(-1) for drinking water. Chlorination enhanced the ZVI efficiency producing concentrations below the proposed limit.

Modeling the sorption of metal ions from aqueous solution by iron-based adsorbents

The possibility of using iron-based adsorbents (i.e. akaganéite or goethite) to remove heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions was the aim of the present review paper. Synthesized material was used in two forms, i.e. in fine powder of nanocrystals and in the form of grains (as granular). The main examined parameters were the quantity of sorbent, the presence of ionic strength, the pH value of solution and the metals speciation, including the presence of complexing agents. The removal efficiency of the packed-bed column was examined and compared. Typical adsorption models were discussed and the bed depth-service time equation has been applied to the sorption results in order to model the column operation.

Performance of a zerovalent iron reactive barrier for the treatment of arsenic in groundwater: Part 2. Geochemical modeling and solid phase studies

Arsenic uptake processes were evaluated in a zerovalent iron reactive barrier installed at a lead smelting facility using geochemical modeling, solid-phase analysis, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques. Aqueous speciation of arsenic is expected to play a key role in directing arsenic uptake processes. Geochemical modeling reveals contrasting pH-dependencies for As(III) and As(V) precipitation. At the moderately alkaline pH conditions typically encountered in zerovalent iron reactive barriers, As(III) is unlikely to precipitate as an oxide or a sulfide phase. Conversely, increasing pH is expected to drive precipitation of metal arsenates including ferrous arsenate. Bacterially mediated sulfate reduction plays an important role in field installations of granular iron. Neoformed iron sulfides provide surfaces for adsorption of oxyanion and thioarsenic species of As(III) and As(V) and are expected to provide enhanced arsenic removal capacity. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectra indicate that arsenic is sequestered in the solid phase as both As(III) and As(V) in coordination environments with O and S. Arsenic removal in the PRB probably results from several pathways, including adsorption to iron oxide and iron sulfide surfaces, and possible precipitation of ferrous arsenate. Corrosion of granular iron appears to result in some As(III) oxidation to As(V) as the proportion of As(V) to As(III) in the solid phase is greater compared to influent groundwater. As(0) was not detected in the PRB materials. These results are broadly comparable to laboratory based studies of arsenic removal by zerovalent iron, but additional complexity is revealed in the field environment, which is largely due to the influence of subsurface microbiota.