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- Aullón Alcaine, Anna, et al.
(author)
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Hydrogeochemical controls on the mobility of arsenic, fluoride and other geogenic co-contaminants in the shallow aquifers of northeastern La Pampa Province in Argentina
- 2020
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 715
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Elevated Arsenic (As) and Fluoride (F) concentrations in groundwater have been studied in the shallow aquifers of northeastern of La Pampa province, in the Chaco-Pampean plain, Argentina. The source of As and co-contaminants is mainly geogenic, from the weathering of volcanic ash and loess (rhyolitic glass) that erupted from the Andean volcanic range. In this study we have assessed the groundwater quality in two semi-arid areas of La Pampa. We have also identified the spatial distribution of As and co-contaminants in groundwater and determined the major factors controlling the mobilization of As in the shallow aquifers. The groundwater samples were circum-neutral to alkaline (7.4 to 92), oxidizing (Eh similar to 0.24 V) and characterized by high salinity (EC = 456-11,400 mu S/cm) and Na+-HCO3- water types in recharge areas. Carbonate concretions ("tosca") were abundant in the upper layers of the shallow aquifer. The concentration of total As (5.6 to 535 mu g/L) and F (0.5 to 14.2 mg/L) were heterogeneous and exceeded the recommended WHO Guidelines and the Argentine Standards for drinking water. The predominant As species were arsenate As(V) oxyanions, determined by thermodynamic calculations. Arsenic was positively correlated with bicarbonate (HCO3-), fluoride (F), boron (B) and vanadium (V), but negatively correlated with iron (Fe), aluminium (Al), and manganese (Mn), which were present in low concentrations. The highest amount of As in sediments was from the surface of the dry lake. The mechanisms for As mobilization are associated with multiple factors: geochemical reactions, hydrogeological characteristics of the local aquifer and climatic factors. Desorption of As(V) at high pH, and ion competition for adsorption sites are considered the principal mechanisms for As mobilization in the shallow aquifers. In addition, the long-term consumption of the groundwater could pose a threat for the health of the local community and low cost remediation techniques are required to improve the drinking water quality.
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2. |
- Hamisi, Rajabu, et al.
(author)
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Long-term phosphorus sorption and leaching in sand filters for onsite treatment systems
- 2022
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In: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 833, s. 155254-155254
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The sorption capacities of sand filters used for onsite wastewater treatment and their associated risks of phosphorus (P) leaching on contact with rainwater were investigated in column experiments and with modelling tool for over 300 days. Columns packed with sand were exposed to real domestic wastewater of different characteristics and hydraulic loading modes. The wastewater fed into the columns was effluent collected from three different treatment units in the field: a septic tank (ST), biofiltration tank (BF) and Polonite® filter bag (PO). The risk of P leaching to groundwater and surface water was also assessed, by exposing the same sand columns to natural rainwater. Overall results indicated that sand soils can exhibit different adsorption and desorption capacities for electrical conductivity (EC), Total-P, phosphate-P and total suspended solids, depending on the characteristics of influent wastewater, loading rate and total operation time. The removal efficiencies of the sand columns increased in the order ST (98.16 %) > PO (93.36%) > BF (81.57%) for PO4-P and slightly decreased ST (97.11 %) > PO (92.06%) > BF (76.76%) for Total-P columns. All sand columns loaded with actual wastewater solutions from septic tanks and biofiltration tank have demonstrated high risks of phosphorus leaching (> 99.99%) to the groundwater. The modelling was successful captured behavior of EC tracer and adsorption of PO4-P with acceptable prediction uncertainty in the PO < 8% columns. The modelling results indicated that the decrease of loading rate from 83.3 mL d-1 to 20.83 mL d-1 led to an average increase of removal efficiency and prolong operational lifetime and mass of adsorbed Total-P in the sand soil. This study concludes that sand is a valuable filter medium at low loading rate for phosphorus removal in full-scale operations of onsite treatment systems, however very vulnerable for leaching P when in contact with rainwater.
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3. |
- Hamisi, Rajabu, et al.
(author)
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Optimization of on-site wastewater treatment efficiency and recovery based on nutrient mobility and adsorption kinetics modelling using HYDRUS-2D coupled with PHREEQC
- 2024
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In: Chemical Engineering Journal. - : Elsevier BV. - 1385-8947 .- 1873-3212. ; 492
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A closed-loop on-site wastewater treatment system (OWT) was studied comprising steps of septic tank to remove organics (Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)), biofiltration clarifier for biological removal of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and BOD, reactive Polonite® filter for chemical adsorption and precipitation removal of dissolved P, and tidal flow constructed wetland (TFCW) sand filter for polishing the effluent to low P and N effluent Swedish standards. The field experimental data that have been used to optimize TFCW design in the numerical modelling using HYDRUS-2D coupled with and without PHREEQC indicated that the adsorption efficiency of the reactive Polonite® adsorbent was nearly double to that obtained in TFCW sand filters for PO4-P (95 %) and Total-P (85 %) removal in summer at a high temperature range (15.4–18.8 °C) and pH range (9.9–10.8). The weaker PO4-P (53 %) and Total-P (25 %) removal efficiency in winter was due to a low temperature (1.5–8.1 °C) and low pH (7.2–7.9). This decrease in pH was attributed to salinity in the domestic wastewater and dilution of rainwater. Modelling results revealed that the transport mechanisms and rate of P adsorption kinetics in the TFCW sand filters enhanced with calcium and iron flow from chemical dissolution in the preceding Polonite® adsorbent was increased with the increase in temperature. However, the P adsorption was less sensitive at high ferrihydrite (Fe(OH)3) dose, suggesting limited effects of cations dissolution and abundance of metal oxides and hydroxide ions at the mineral surface for anions exchange with phosphate for surface complexation. The strategy of combining field data and modelling provided valuable insights for assessing adaptability and optimizing TFCW design under variable fluxes and scenario effects of insulated/uninsulated and dilution by rainwater in cold-climate regions.
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4. |
- Hamisi, Rajabu, et al.
(author)
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Performance of a tidal flow constructed wetland used for post-treatment of on-site wastewater in cold climate
- 2022
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In: Journal of Water Process Engineering. - : Elsevier BV. - 2214-7144. ; 47
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The performance of a tidal flow constructed wetland (TFCW) following wastewater treatment in a package plant designed for two households was studied in a nine-month field trial and its design evaluated through process modelling and pumping tests. The TFCW is operated by filling and draining periods lasting five to nine days, depending on wastewater production by users. The effects of passive aeration, temperature, influent concentration of nutrients and bacteria as well as hydraulic loading on the treatment efficacy of the TFCW system were studied. Results showed that the TFCW system removed ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N, 76%), phosphate -phosphorus (PO4-P, 56%), total inorganic nitrogen (TIN, 28%) and reduced water pH by15%. The removal efficiency of TIN was significantly improved in the summer (> 50%). The average influent concentration of total phosphorus (TP) was low after the preceding package plant treatment (1.12 mg L-1), but the TFCW showed ability to further reduce TP to the average concentration of 0.57 mg L-1. A coupled reactive transport model was developed in the COMSOL Multiphysics (R) 5.6 software to predict processes of water flow and was validated against the actual data from the field. The modelling exhibited a satisfactory prediction accuracy and capability to capture behavior of effluent PO4-P, NH4-N and dissolved oxygen concentration. Moreover, modelling processes helped to understand the defects of water flow and adsorption processes within the treatment wetland.
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5. |
- Hamisi, Rajabu, et al.
(author)
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Treatment efficiency and recovery in sand filters for on-site wastewater treatment: Column studies and reactive modelling
- 2024
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In: Journal of Cleaner Production. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 0959-6526 .- 1879-1786. ; 462
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study examined the adsorption capacity and treatment efficiency of sand filters in on-site treatment systems for cold climate regions. The effects of different operating conditions, porosity and kinetics parameters were investigated in column experiments and COMSOL Multiphysics® modelling, to comprehensively reveal the mechanisms and optimize treatment efficiency of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) removal in a field tidal flow constructed wetland (TFCW), treating effluent from a package treatment plant with P filter material. The results from column experiments with sand showed that Total-P adsorption rate was dependent on feed water quality (Septic tank >0.77 ± 0.06 g kg−1; Biotreatment >0.41 ± 0.07 g kg−1; Reactive material Polonite® <0.18 ± 0.07 g kg−1). In the field TFCW trial, Total-P adsorption in the top layer (>1.42 ± 0.55 g kg−1) and middle layer (>1.06 ± 0.51 g kg−1) was twice that in laboratory columns, due to strong interaction with the air-water interface and use of fluctuated domestic wastewater solutions. The breakthrough curve (BTCs) of the coarse sand matched the physical behaviour of tracer electrical conductivity (EC) in effluent from the sand column experiments. The modelling results demonstrated that high filter porosity and low hydraulic load were significant factors for optimal removal of NH4–N, Total-N, PO4–P, Total- P in the top layer (>99.95 ± 0.03 %, 44.37 ± 28.75%, 70.89 ± 28.30%, 76.18 ± 20.3%), middle layer (>98.94 ± 1.77%, 18.23 ± 23.04%, 76.62 ± 28.73%, 65.40 ± 31.85%) and deep layer (>99.99 ± 0.02%, 65.50 ± 20.64%, 75.53 ± 23.16%, 41.54 ± 28.81%) in the TFCW system, respectively. The results show that on-site wastewater treatment in cold climate TFCW can be applied as a technology to polish effluent from a three-step pretreatment system. However, hydraulic optimization is an important factor for the design of the TFCW to receive a successful long-term operating system.
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