Metal sorption to natural filter substrates for storm water treatment—column studies

Abstract

Storm water generated from road runoff contains pollutants such as metals that are either dissolved in storm water or bound to particulates. Using detention ponds for the treatment of storm water from road runoff, where particles can settle, can reduce the level of particulate-bound metals in the water, while small particles and dissolved matter pass through the detention pond. Some of these metals can be removed by filtrating water through specially constructed filter systems. This investigation is a laboratory study where different filter substrates were tested in order to evaluate their efficiency in reducing heavy metals from water. Metal solutions were filtered through columns filled with various substrates consisting of combinations of calcium silicate rock (opoka), zeolite and peat. The metal-removal efficiency was correlated to hydraulic load, and for the metal species the reduction efficiency decreased with increased hydraulic load. Mixtures of opoka and zeolite were found to be superior to the other filter-substrate combinations tested with regard to both hydraulic aspects and removal efficiency. Peat mixed with the calcium silicate rock was not successful due to clogging which stopped the experiment. A manufactured product made from the calcium silicate rock (burned opoka) was found to be less useful because of its calcium oxide (CaO) content. Among the tested filter substrates, mixtures of opoka and zeolite seemed to be the most useful compositions with respect to reduction-efficiency and clogging aspects. The removal capacity of metals varied from 0.6 to 1.8 kg m −3 depending on the metal and the filter substrate.