ePrints

Modelling the non-biogenic steps of arsenic retention in horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands

Lookup NU author(s): Joshua Obradors Prats

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.

Abstract

A technically viable and alternative treatment option for the removal of arsenic from water is the constructed wetland (CW) technology. Modelling has emerged as a powerful tool for increasing understanding of water treatment systems such as CWs. The present contribution presents the first and second step implementation of the two most significant arsenic retention processes that take place in CWs (aqueous complexation followed by arsenic precipitation, and arsenic sorption in the granular media) in RetrasoCodeBright (RCB) (giving the RCB-ARSENIC model), showing the first simulation results (on the physical and chemical processes). The aqueous complexation reactions included in the RCB-ARSENIC model were considered equilibrium reactions. One sorption reaction and six mineral precipitation-dissolution reactions were included in the model. Five theoretical case studies (total arsenic concentrations from 23.5 to 300 μg/L) were simulated in order to test the model resulting from the first step implementation. Once the second step had been implemented, the model was checked and then tested in a CW prototype operating without plants, considering different total arsenic concentrations at the inlet (from 50 to 300 μg/L). In terms of total As concentrations in effluent, the simulated data closely matched the data measured in most evaluated cases. The iron and arsenic species relationships, as well as the arsenic retention percentages obtained from simulations, were in agreement with the literature. According to the quality of the obtained results, at this stage it can be considered that the first and second step implementation of the RCB-ARSENIC model has provided reasonably good response values.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Llorens E, Obradors J, Alarcon-Herrera MT

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Chemical Engineering Journal

Year: 2013

Volume: 223

Pages: 657-664

Print publication date: 01/05/2013

ISSN (print): 1385-8947

ISSN (electronic): 1873-3212

Publisher: Elsevier

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2013.02.102

DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2013.02.102

Altmetrics

Share