Soil Aquifer Treatment Research Articles

Water Retention Curves of Biofilm‐Affected Soils using Xanthan as an Analogue

This study investigated the effect of biofilms and, in particular, that of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on the hydraulic properties of porous media under unsaturated conditions. The quantitative understanding of the way biological activity alters hydraulic properties is a major key in understanding and engineering relevant systems such as soil aquifer treatment, bioremediation, and wastewater irrigation. Using an EPS analog (xanthan) we explored the effect of EPS on the water retention function of two sandy soils. The result was a significant increase in the water content at any given matric head that could reach 270% of its value within pure soil. For most of the water content range, we successfully modeled the effect of the EPS as a linear superposition of the original pure soil and the xanthan retention curves. Finally, we examined two mechanisms that can attribute to modification of the water retention curve: the EPS holding capacity and alteration of the soils' pore‐size distribution; in our case, it appears that the first mechanism was dominant.

Enhanced infiltration regime for treated-wastewater purification in soil aquifer treatment (SAT)

Summary Utilization of treated wastewater (TWW) for agriculture is a widely accepted practice in regions suffering from freshwater (FW) shortages. Soil aquifer treatment is often employed for wastewater purification in regions with sandy soil. Infiltration rates of water through the soil can decrease as a result organic matter (OM) accumulation and the consequential water repellency. We examined several infiltration regimes with the aim of achieving lower levels of OM accumulation, reduced water repellency and increased infiltration rate in the topsoil layer of the infiltration basin. OM accumulation in the topsoil layer was found to be the main factor adversely affecting soil permeability. In measurements performed in the infiltration basins of the Tel Aviv wastewater-purification facility over a 1-year period, infiltration rates were found to differ with season, being low in the winter and high in the summer. Similar observations were made on small model infiltration ponds established to simulate the large basins. Several water-application regimes were tested for enhancement of the infiltration rates. Rapid application of TWW was the most efficient method in terms of reducing OM accumulation and water repellency in the topsoil layer. Low-rate, and spraying of TWW over the soil using sprinklers produced the highest OM accumulation and consequently, higher water repellency. Low-rate, single outlet application—the conventional infiltration method employed in the commercial infiltration basins—exhibited moderate OM accumulation and water repellency. Neither water repellency nor OM accumulation were observed in the FW-application regime. Accumulation of OM originating from the percolating TWW, at the topsoil layer was identified as dominating infiltration rate at the infiltration basins. Reduction of OM content by the means proposed and evaluated in this experiment can drastically increase infiltration rates.

Application of GIS-based multi-criteria analysis for site selection of aquifer recharge with reclaimed water

Reclaimed water from small wastewater treatment facilities in the rural areas of the Beira Interior region (Portugal) may constitute an alternative water source for aquifer recharge. A 21-month monitoring period in a constructed wetland treatment system has shown that 21,500 m 3 year −1 of treated wastewater (reclaimed water) could be used for aquifer recharge. A GIS-based multi-criteria analysis was performed, combining ten thematic maps and economic, environmental and technical criteria, in order to produce a suitability map for the location of sites for reclaimed water infiltration. The areas chosen for aquifer recharge with infiltration basins are mainly composed of anthrosol with more than 1 m deep and fine sand texture, which allows an average infiltration velocity of up to 1 m d −1. These characteristics will provide a final polishing treatment of the reclaimed water after infiltration (soil aquifer treatment (SAT)), suitable for the removal of the residual load (trace organics, nutrients, heavy metals and pathogens). The risk of groundwater contamination is low since the water table in the anthrosol areas ranges from 10 m to 50 m. On the other hand, these depths allow a guaranteed unsaturated area suitable for SAT. An area of 13,944 ha was selected for study, but only 1607 ha are suitable for reclaimed water infiltration. Approximately 1280 m 2 were considered enough to set up 4 infiltration basins to work in flooding and drying cycles.

Safety evaluation of an artificial groundwater recharge system for reclaimed water reuse based on bioassays

A set of bioassays (acute toxicity to Daphnia, genotoxicity, estrogenic and antiestrogenic toxicity) was used to evaluate the safety of reclaimed water reuse in a lab-scale artificial groundwater recharge system. Ozonation of 1mg O3·(mg DOC)−1 was used as the pretreatment and was proved to be effective in removing the four toxicity, with removal ratios ranging from 56% to 99%. In the vadose layer, the responsible compounds for toxicity were less efficiently removed than the bulk organic compounds. However, they were preferentially removed during the saturated aquifer treatment, with all the toxic effects per carbon mass dropping by 20–50%. Therefore, more than one month traveling in the aquifer is suggested before water reuse. Since UV254 was significantly correlated with the toxicity data, it could serve as an indicator of the toxicity. With the bioassay-based safety evaluation, the combination of soil aquifer treatment and ozonation could provide new water sources with no higher toxic than the conventional natural drinking water source.

Soil aquifer treatment using advanced primary effluent

Soil aquifer treatment (SAT) using primary effluent (PE) is an attractive option for wastewater treatment and reuse in many developing countries with no or minimal wastewater treatment. One of the main limitations of SAT of PE is rapid clogging of the infiltration basin due to high suspended solid concentrations. Some pre-treatment of PE before infiltration is likely to reduce this limitation, improve performance of SAT and help to implement this technology effectively. The effects of three pre-treatment options namely sedimentation (SED), coagulation (COAG) and horizontal roughing filtration (HRF) on SAT were analyzed by conducting laboratory-scale batch and soil column experiments. The sedimentation and coagulation pre-treatments led to less head loss development and reduction of clogging effect. The head loss development in soil column using PE + COAG and PE + SED was reduced by 85 and 72%, respectively, compared to PE alone without any pretreatment. The overall dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal of pre-treatments and soil column collectively were 34, 44, 51 and 43.5% for PE without any pre-treatment, PE + SED, PE + COAG and PE + HRF, respectively. Coagulation pre-treatment of PE was found to be the most effective option in terms of suspended solids, DOC and nitrogen removal. Sedimentation pre-treatment of PE could be attractive where land is relatively less expensive for the construction of sedimentation basins.

Kinetics of model high molecular weight organic compounds biodegradation in soil aquifer treatment

Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) is a process where treated wastewater is purified during transport through unsaturated and saturated zones. Easily biodegradable compounds are rapidly removed in the unsaturated zone and the residual organic carbon is comprised of primarily high molecular weight compounds. This research focuses on flow in the saturated zone where flow conditions are predictable and high molecular weight compounds are degraded. Flow through the saturated zone was investigated with 4 reactors packed with 2 different particle sizes and operated at 4 different flow rates. The objective was to evaluate the kinetics of transformation for high molecular weight organics during SAT. Dextran was used as a model compound to eliminate the complexity associated with studying a mixture of high molecular weight organics. The hydrolysis products of dextran are easily degradable sugars. Batch experiments with media taken from the reactors were used to determine the distribution of microbial activity in the reactors. Zero-order kinetics were observed for the removal of dextran in batch experiments which is consistent with hydrolysis of high molecular weight organics where extracellular enzymes limit the substrate utilization rate. Biomass and microbial activity measurements demonstrated that the biomass was independent of position in the reactors. A Monod based substrate/biomass growth kinetic model predicted the performance of dextran removal in the reactors. The rate limiting step appears to be hydrolysis and the overall rate was not affected by surface area even though greater biomass accumulation occurred as the surface area decreased.

Soil aquifer treatment of artificial wastewater under saturated conditions

A 2000 mm long saturated laboratory soil column was used to simulate soil aquifer treatment under saturated conditions to assess the removal of chemical and biochemical oxygen demand (COD and BOD), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrogen and phosphate, using high strength artificial wastewater. The removal rates were determined under a combination of constant hydraulic loading rates (HLR) and variable COD concentrations as well as variable HLR under a constant COD. Within the range of COD concentrations considered (42 mg L −1–135 mg L −1) it was found that at fixed hydraulic loading rate, a decrease in the influent concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total nitrogen and phosphate improved their removal efficiencies. At the high COD concentrations applied residence times influenced the redox conditions in the soil column. Long residence times were detrimental to the removal process for COD, BOD and DOC as anoxic processes and sulphate reduction played an important role as electron acceptors. It was found that total COD mass loading within the range of 911 mg d −1–1780 mg d −1 applied as low COD wastewater infiltrated coupled with short residence times would provide better effluent quality than the same mass applied as a COD with higher concentration at long residence times. The opposite was true for organic nitrogen where relatively high concentrations coupled with long residence time gave better removal efficiency.

Rationales Behind Irrationality of Decision Making in Groundwater Quality Management

This issue paper presents how certain policies regarding management of groundwater quality lead to unexpected and undesirable results, despite being backed by seemingly reasonable assumptions. This happened in part because the so-called reasonable decisions were not based on an integrative and quantitative methodology. The policies surveyed here are: (1) implementation of a program for aquifer restoration to pristine conditions followed, after failure, by leaving it to natural attenuation; (2) the "Forget About The Aquifer" (FATA) approach, while ignoring possible damage that contaminated groundwater can inflict on the other environmental systems; (3) groundwater recharge in municipal areas while neglecting the presence of contaminants in the unsaturated zone and conditions exerted by upper impervious surfaces; (4) the Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) practice considering aquifers to be "filters of infinite capacity"; and (5) focusing on well contamination vs. aquifer contamination to conveniently defer grappling with the problem of the aquifer as a whole. Possible reasons for the failure of these seemingly rational policies are: (1) the characteristic times of processes associated with groundwater that are usually orders of magnitude greater than the residence times of decision makers in their managerial position; (2) proliferation of improperly trained "groundwater experts" or policymakers with sectoral agendas alongside legitimate differences of opinion among groundwater scientists; (3) the neglect of the cyclic nature of natural phenomena; and (4) ignoring future long-term costs because of immediate costs.

Laboratory assessment of factors affecting soil clogging of soil aquifer treatment systems

In this study the effect of soil type, level of pre-treatment, ponding depth, temperature and sunlight on clogging of soil aquifer treatment (SAT) systems was evaluated over an eight week duration in constant temperature and glasshouse environments. Of the two soil types tested, the more permeable sand media clogged more than the loam, but still retained an order of magnitude higher absolute permeability. A 6- to 8-fold difference in hydraulic loading rates was observed between the four source water types tested (one potable water and three recycled waters), with improved water quality resulting in significantly higher infiltration. Infiltration rates for ponding depths of 30 cm and 50 cm were higher than 10 cm, although for 50 cm clogging rates were higher due to greater compaction of the clogging layer. Overall, physical clogging was more significant than other forms of clogging. Microbial clogging becomes increasingly important when the particulate concentrations in the source waters are reduced through pre-treatment and for finer textured soils due to the higher specific surface area of the media. Clogging by gas binding took place in the glasshouse but not in the lab, and mechanical clogging associated with particle rearrangement was evident in the sand media but not in the loam. These results offer insight into the soil, water quality and operating conditions needed to achieve viable SAT systems.

Cation exchange and CaCO 3 dissolution during artificial recharge of effluent to a calcareous sandstone aquifer

Summary This research describes a field study and laboratory simulations of the geochemical evolution of groundwater following a recharge of effluent into aquifers. The study was conducted in the soil aquifer treatment (SAT) system of the Shafdan sewage reclamation plant, Israel. The SAT system recharges secondary effluent into the calcareous sandstone sediments of the Israeli Coastal Aquifer as a tertiary treatment. The reclaimed effluent is recovered ca. 500 m off the recharge basin and is used for unlimited irrigation. The laboratory simulations in which effluent was pumped through experimental columns packed with pristine Shafdan sediment showed that the chemical composition of the outflowing water was controlled mainly by cation exchange and CaCO3 dissolution. Na+, K+ and Mg2+ were adsorbed and Ca2+ was desorbed during the initial stage of recharge. The equilibrium distribution of the adsorbed cations was: Ca2+ ∼ 60%, Mg2+ ∼ 20%, and Na+ and K+ ∼ 10% each. The Ca2+ in the Shafdan production wells and in the experimental columns outflow (∼5 meq L−1) was always higher than the Ca2+ in the recharged effluent (∼3.5 meq L−1), indicating continuous CaCO3 dissolution. This study demonstrates that besides mixing, a suite of geochemical processes should be considered when assessing groundwater quality following artificial recharge of aquifers.

Attenuation of contaminants of emerging concern during surface-spreading aquifer recharge

The attenuation of a diverse suite of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and bulk water quality changes was evaluated at a surface-spreading aquifer recharge operation across a detailed subsurface profile (9 locations), representing both short- and long-travel times (10 h to 60 days). Seventeen CECs were detected in the recharge basin and the concentrations of all were reduced during soil aquifer treatment (SAT), with 11 of the target compounds attenuated by > 80% after 60 days of travel time. Select CECs (atenolol, gemfibrozil, N, N-diethly-3-methylbenzamide, meprobamate, tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate, and primidone) and bulk water organic-carbon measurements (total organic carbon, biodegradable organic carbon, size-exclusion chromatography and fluorescence excitation–emission matrices) were identified as monitoring parameters that can be used to assess SAT performance at surface-spreading operations.

Assessing the removal potential of soil-aquifer treatment system (soil column) for endotoxin

Soil-aquifer treatment (SAT) of wastewater is an increasingly valued practice for replenishing aquifers due to ease of operation and low maintenance needs and therefore low cost. In this study, we investigated the fate of endotoxins through laboratory-scale SAT soil columns over a four month period. The effluent of rapid sand filtration was run through the columns under gravity flow conditions. Four SAT columns were packed with four different filter materials (fine sand, medium sand, coarse sand and very coarse sand). The effluent of rapid sand filtration (average dissolved organic carbon (DOC) = 4 mg l(-1) and average endotoxin concentration = 4 EU ml(-1)) was collected from a domestic wastewater treatment plant in Sapporo, Japan. DOC removal ranged from 12.5% to greater than 22.5% during the study, with DOC levels averaging 3.1 and 3.5 mg l(-1) for the SAT columns packed with different soils. Endotoxin transformation exhibited different profiles, depending on the time and soil type. Reduction in endotoxin concentration averaged 64.3% and was as high as 86.7% across the soil columns 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. While DOC removal was gradual, the reductions in endotoxin levels were rather rapid and most of the removal was achieved in the top layers. Soil with a larger grain size had lower efficiency in removing endotoxin. Tests were performed to evaluate the transformation of organic matter showing endotoxicity and to determine the mechanisms responsible for changes in the structural and size properties of dissolved organic matter (OM) during SAT. Dissolved OM was fractionated using Sep-Pack C18 Cartridges into hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions. Dialysis tubes with different molecular weight cut-offs were used to perform size fractions of OM showing endotoxicity. Evaluation of the transformation of organic matter showing endotoxicity during SAT indicated that both hydrophobic and large molecules were reduced. Moreover, experimental findings showed that adsorption test data fit to the Freundlich isotherm and were affected by the particle grain size with higher adsorption capacity for fine and medium sand.

Correlation of six anthropogenic markers in wastewater, surface water, bank filtrate, and soil aquifer treatment

Six trace contaminants (acesulfame (ACE), sucralose (SUC), carbamazepine (CBZ), diatrizoic acid (DTA), 1H-benzotriazole (BTZ) and its 4-methyl analogue (4-TTri)) were traced from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to receiving waters and further to riverbank filtration (RBF) wells to evaluate their prediction power as potential wastewater markers. Furthermore, the persistence of some compounds was investigated in advanced wastewater treatment by soil aquifer treatment (SAT). During wastewater treatment in four conventional activated sludge WWTPs ACE, SUC, and CBZ showed a pronounced stability expressed by stable concentration ratios in influent (in) and effluent (out) (ACE/CBZ: in45, out40; SUC/CBZ: in1.8, out1.7; and ACE/SUC: in24, out24). In a fifth WWTP, additional treatment with powdered activated carbon led to a strong elimination of CBZ, BTZ, and 4-TTri of about 80% and consequently to a distinctive shift of their ratios with unaffected compounds. Data from a seven month monitoring program at seven sampling locations at the rivers Rhine and Main in Germany revealed the best concentration correlation for ACE and CBZ (r(2) = 0.94) and also a good correlation of ACE and CBZ concentrations to BTZ and 4-TTri levels (r(2) = 0.66 to 0.82). The comparison of ratios at different sampling sites allowed for the identification of a CBZ point source. Furthermore, in Switzerland a higher consumption of SUC compared to Germany can be assumed, as a steadily increasing ACE/SUC ratio along the river Rhine was observed. In RBF wells a good correlation (r(2) = 0.85) was again observed for ACE and CBZ. Both also showed the highest stability at a prolonged residence time in the subsurface of a SAT field. In the most peripheral wells ACE and CBZ were still detected with mean values higher than 36 µg L(-1) and 1.3 µg L(-1), respectively. Although SUC concentrations in wastewater used for SAT decreased by more than 80% from about 18 µg L(-1) to 2.1 µg L(-1) and 3.5 µg L(-1) in these outlying wells, the compound was still adequate to indicate a wastewater impact in a qualitative way.

Soil Aquifer Treatment as a Tool for Sustainable Groundwater Use in Hanoi/Vietnam

Due to the subtropical climate the average annual precipitation in Vietnam is high. Nevertheless it is observed that groundwater levels in the capital Hanoi have decreased dramatically. As a consequence more and more settlements of buildings have been registered since the beginning of the new millennium. Reason for this tremendous impact is the increasing demand of areas and the extensive surface sealing in the course of the industrial development. This paper describes the “state of the art” and the development of sustainable solutions to maintain and even increase the declined groundwater levels in Hanoi.

Treated wastewater effects on water repellency and soil hydraulic properties of soil aquifer treatment infiltration basins

Summary Irrigation with treated wastewater (TWW) has been reported to induce low to moderate hydrophobicity in soils of different texture with or without vegetation cover. Additional potential sites for adverse effects of TWW are infiltration basins, where TWW undergoes tertiary treatment, known as soil aquifer treatment (SAT). The annual organic matter (OM) loads in SAT are a hundred fold higher than those applied in irrigation with TWW. Therefore, we initially presumed that in the sandy soils of SAT infiltration basins, hydrophobicity would be expressed to a higher extent and would further affect the hydraulic properties of these soils. This hypothesis was tested in the Dan Region Wastewater Reclamation Project, Tel-Aviv, Israel. In terms of water drop penetration time (WDPT) test, the results obtained exhibited similar hydrophobicity levels (0 ⩽ WDPT ⩽ 238 s) to those obtained in the TWW irrigated fields and in a similar manner, soil hydrophobicity was only exhibited in the surface soil layer. It is suggested that the low to moderate hydrophobicity obtained under TWW irrigation and recharge into the SAT basins, may primarily stem from the drying and wetting cycle regimes employed. Under these conditions, hydrophobic compounds, which may impart hydrophobicity to the soil particles, are likely to detach and dissolve into the soil solution at the subsequent irrigation or recharge event. Furthermore, the frequent displacement of the resident TWW derived OM by repeatedly flooding events, prevents maturation and humification of the resident OM. Further investigations on the hydraulic properties of the basin soils were conducted in conjunction with the solid–liquid contact angle (ω) and the surface tension (γL) of the soil solution. The results obtained imply that the dependence of the hydraulic properties on ω and/or γL, can be attributed to the hydrophobic nature of both the solid and dissolved OM originating from the recharged TWW.

Recharge sources and hydrogeochemical evolution of groundwater in alluvial basins in arid central Australia

Summary It is necessary to define the role of various sources of recharge in the surficial alluvial aquifer system in arid Alice Springs in central Australia, for future management of water resources in the region. Multiple sources of natural recharge include infiltration from ephemeral stream flow in the Todd River; groundwater throughflow between connected alluvial basins; regional groundwater flow from the underlying Tertiary aquifer; and diffuse recharge. In addition treatment, storage and irrigation reuse of Alice Springs’ waste water has resulted in additional recharge of effluent, via infiltration. Water resource management plans for the region include effluent reuse through Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) within one of the connected alluvial basins, with the purpose of managing the excess waste water overflows while also supplementing groundwater resources for irrigation and protecting their quality. Hydrogeochemical tracers, chloride and the stable isotopes of water, were used in a three-member mixing model to define and quantify the major recharge sources. The mixing model was not sensitive enough to quantify minor contributions from effluent in groundwater that were identified only by an evaporated isotopic signature. The contribution of the multiple recharge sources varied spatially with proximity to the recharge source; with Todd River, effluent and Town Basin throughflow contributing to the Inner Farm Basin groundwater. The Outer Farm Basin was largely influenced by the Todd River, the Inner Farm Basin throughflow and the older Tertiary aquifer. While Inner Farm groundwater throughflow contains an effluent component, only Outer Farm Basin groundwater near the interface between the two basins clearly illustrated an effluent signature. Aside from this, effluent recharge was not evident in the Outer Farm Basin, indicating that past unmanaged recharge practices will not mask signs of Managed Aquifer Recharge through the Soil Aquifer Treatment (SAT) operation. The long-term impact of effluent recharge is a shift from sodium and calcium as co-dominant cations in the groundwater, as evident in the Outer Farm Basin, to dominance by sodium alone, as typical for the Inner Farm Basin.

Fate and transport of carbamazepine in soil aquifer treatment (SAT) infiltration basin soils

The transport and fate of the pharmaceutical carbamazepine (CBZ) were investigated in the Dan Region Reclamation Project (SHAFDAN), Tel-Aviv, Israel. Soil samples were taken from seven subsections of soil profiles (150 cm) in infiltration basins of a soil aquifer treatment (SAT) system. The transport characteristics were studied from the release dynamics of soil-resident CBZ and, subsequently, from applying a pulse input of wastewater containing CBZ. In addition, a monitoring study was performed to evaluate the fate of CBZ after the SAT. Results of this study indicate adsorption, and consequently retardation, in CBZ transport through the top soil layer (0–5 cm) and to a lesser extent in the second layer (5–25 cm), but not in deeper soil layers (25–150 cm). The soluble and adsorbed fractions of CBZ obtained from the two upper soil layers comprised 45% of the total CBZ content in the entire soil profile. This behavior correlated to the higher organic matter content observed in the upper soil layers (0–25 cm). It is therefore deduced that when accounting for the full flow path of CBZ through the vadose zone to the groundwater region, the overall transport of CBZ in the SAT system is essentially conservative. The monitoring study revealed that the average concentration of CBZ decreased from 1094 ± 166 ng L −1 in the recharged wastewater to 560 ± 175 ng L −1 after the SAT. This reduction is explained by dilution of the recharged wastewater with resident groundwater, which may occur as it flows to active reclamation wells.

Quantification of pathogenic microorganisms and microbial indicators in three wastewater reclamation and managed aquifer recharge facilities in Europe

Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is becoming an attractive option for water storage in water reuse processes as it provides an additional treatment barrier to improve recharged water quality and buffers seasonal variations of water supply and demand. To achieve a better understanding about the level of pathogenic microorganisms and their relation with microbial indicators in these systems, five waterborne pathogens and four microbial indicators were monitored over one year in three European MAR sites operated with reclaimed wastewater. Giardia and Cryptosporidium (oo)cysts were found in 63.2 and 36.7% of the samples respectively. Salmonella spp . and helminth eggs were more rarely detected (16.3% and 12.5% of the samples respectively) and Campylobacter cells were only found in 2% of samples. At the Belgian site advanced tertiary treatment technology prior to soil aquifer treatment (SAT) produced effluent of drinking water quality, with no presence of the analysed pathogens. At the Spanish and Italian sites amelioration of microbiological water quality was observed between the MAR injectant and the recovered water. In particular Giardia levels decreased from 0.24–6.14 cysts/L to 0–0.01 cysts/L and from 0.4–6.2 cysts/L to 0–0.07 cysts/L in the Spanish and Italian sites respectively. Salmonella gene copies and Giardia cysts were however found in the water for final use and/or the recovered groundwater water at the two sites. Significant positive Spearman correlations (p < 0.05, r s range: 0.45–0.95) were obtained, in all the three sites, between Giardia cysts and the most resistant microbial markers, Clostridium spores and bacteriophages.

DOC and UVA attenuation with soil aquifer treatment in the saturated zone of an artificial coastal sandfill

Results from a direct recharge experiment conducted in the field to investigate DOC and UVA(254) attenuation rates during the direct injection of UF treated wastewater into a artificial coastal sandfill are presented in this paper. Approximately 500 m(3) of ultra-filtered wastewater was injected into the saturated zone, over a period of 9 days. The movement of the plume was tracked over 80 days, during which time samples were obtained from multilevel samplers installed in transects across the drift axis of the plume. An analysis of fluorescein in the samples obtained during the drift of the UF plume showed that DOC and UVA were attenuated beyond rates predicted by conservative mixing, by up to a maximum of 45%. A degradation coefficient of 0.0175 day(-1) was found to be applicable for DOC degradation. After a drift period of 80 days, DOC and UVA reduced to approximately 4.5 mg/l and 0.100 cm(-1), respectively, from initial values of 8.06 mg/l and 0.199 cm(-1).

Evaluation of fly‐ash additive for removal of dissolved organic matter during soil aquifer treatment of wastewater treatment plant Peffluent

AbstractBACKGROUND: Fly‐ash (FA) additive was evaluated for enhanced removal of organic matter during soil aquifer treatment (SAT) of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent in five 0.50 m length columns (diameter 0.1 m) in parallel.RESULTS: The characteristic behavior of dissolved organic matter (DOM) was examined for the stratum matrix configurations of both natural soil and a mixture of soil and FA. Incubation and fractionation experiments indicated that FA additive within the SAT columns would enhance the bulk adsorption of hydrophobic fractions, but decrease the biodegradation of the hydrophilic fraction simultaneously. The configuration design of an upper 0.25 m soil layer and a mixture of FA and soil underneath could make use of the functions of both FA adsorption and biodegradation within soil, which could lead to a further fractional removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and trihalomethane formation potential (THMFP). Moreover, FA additive in the SAT columns could result in a significant decrease of tryptophan‐like aromatic proteins and fulvic‐like components (CC and CO related), while the setting of the top 25 cm soil layer would lead to a further reduction of oxygen‐containing functional groups.CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, FA might serve as a supplementary material for enhancing the reduction of DOM during SAT operation. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry