Characterization of opoka as a basis for its use in wastewater treatment

• Opoka, as a silica-calcite sedimentary rock, occurs in south-eastern Europe and Russia. Stratigraphical studies down to 8 in depth were performed in Belzec, Poland, where samples were taken for further analyses. Vertical layers represented a heavy-weight opoka consisting of relatively more CaCO3 than the horizontal layers of lightweight opoka dominated by SiO2. Opoka had a mean bulk density of 1.34 g/cm(3), a porosity of 44.5 % and a specific surface area of 64 m(2)/g. Opoka, especially after heated to over 900degreesC can be used as reactive filter media for phosphorus removal. Maximum sorption capacity was 119.6 g PO4-P/ kg. Element analysis of the rock did not reveal any anomaly from that expected, and it was concluded that its element content does not devaluate opoka as a sorbent used in ecological wastewater treatment.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

calcination

fertilizer

gaize

opoka

phosphorus sorption

Polonite (R)

reactive media

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)