Quantifying the influence of humic acid adsorption on colloidal microsphere deposition onto iron-oxide-coated sand

Author(s)

Xingyao Yang, Ray Flynn, Frank von der Kammer, Thilo Hofmann

Abstract

This article describes an approach for quantifying microsphere deposition onto iron-oxide-coated sand

under the influence of adsorbed Suwannee River Humic Acid (SRHA). The experimental technique

involved a triple pulse injection of model latex microspheres (microspheres) in pulses of (1) microspheres,

followed by (2) SRHA, and then (3) microspheres, into a column filled with iron-coated quartz

sand as a water-saturated porous medium. A random sequential adsorption model (RSA) simulated the

gradual rise in the first (microsphere) breakthrough curve (BTC). Using the same model calibration

parameters a dramatic increase in concentration at the start of the second particle BTC, generated after

SRHA injection, could be simulated by matching microsphere concentrations to extrapolated RSA output.

RSA results and microsphere/SRHA recoveries showed that 1 mg of SRHA could block 5.90 0.14 109

microsphere deposition sites. This figure was consistent between experiments injecting different SRHA

masses, despite contrasting microsphere deposition/release regimes generating the second microsphere

BTC.

Organisation(s)

External organisation(s)

Queen's University Belfast

Journal

Environmental Pollution

Volume

158

Pages

3498-3506

No. of pages

9

ISSN

0269-7491

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2010.03.011

Publication date

2010

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

105904 Environmental research

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