Modeling the Mass Transfer of Hydrophobic Organic Pollutants in Briefly and Continuously Mixed Sediment after Amendment with Activated Carbon
- 14 April 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Chemical Society (ACS) in Environmental Science & Technology
- Vol. 44 (9), 3381-3387
- https://doi.org/10.1021/es903582n
Abstract
Activated carbon (AC) amendment is currently being investigated as an in situ remediation technique for sediments contaminated by persistent organic pollutants. Understanding the mass transfer of pollutants from weaker binding sites on sediment particles, to stronger binding sites inside AC particles, is important for the evaluation of this strategy. Here we study the mass transfer of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from River Tyne sediment to polyethylene (PE) passive samplers in the presence and absence of AC under two mixing regimes. Continuously mixing and a brief initial mixing period to incorporate AC to the system, followed by unmixed conditions in settled sediments, were compared. The reduction in total PAH concentration in the PE sampler was greater than 99% after 12 months AC contact for both conditions. A numerical model based on concepts used to simulate well-mixed AC-sediment slurries was further developed to describe the briefly mixed system. These models could predict upper and lower limits for the expected remediation effectiveness for variable AC-sediment mixing regimes. It appears that mixing mode has a small impact on the treatment effectiveness for River Tyne sediment which has a strongly bound, slowly released pollutant source. However, a greater impact is anticipated for contaminated sediments containing more available pollutants.Keywords
This publication has 20 references indexed in Scilit:
- Field Application of Activated Carbon Amendment for In-Situ Stabilization of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Marine SedimentEnvironmental Science & Technology, 2009
- Field methods for amending marine sediment with activated carbon and assessing treatment effectivenessMarine Environmental Research, 2007
- Activated carbon amendment as a treatment for residual ddt in sediment from a superfund site in San Francisco Bay, Richmond, California, USAEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2007
- PCB Bioavailability Control in Lumbriculus Variegatus through Different Modes of Activated Carbon Addition to SedimentsEnvironmental Science & Technology, 2007
- Modeling Polychlorinated Biphenyl Mass Transfer after Amendment of Contaminated Sediment with Activated CarbonEnvironmental Science & Technology, 2006
- Strong Sorption of Native PAHs to Pyrogenic and Unburned Carbonaceous Geosorbents in SedimentsEnvironmental Science & Technology, 2006
- The sequestration of PCBs in Lake Hartwell sediment with activated carbonWater Research, 2005
- Addition of Carbon Sorbents to Reduce PCB and PAH Bioavailability in Marine Sediments: Physicochemical TestsEnvironmental Science & Technology, 2004
- Temperature-Dependent Uptake Rates of Nonpolar Organic Compounds by Semipermeable Membrane Devices and Low-Density Polyethylene MembranesEnvironmental Science & Technology, 2002
- Temperature Dependence of Slow Adsorption and Desorption Kinetics of Organic Compounds in SedimentsEnvironmental Science & Technology, 1997