Lapointe, Mathieu, Jahandideh, Heidi, Alimi, Olubukola S., Farner, Jeffrey M. and Tufenkji, Nathalie.
2025.
« Sustainable granular materials improve removal of natural organic matter, turbidity and microplastics during adsorption, ballasted flocculation and granular filtration ».
Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, vol. 13, nº 2.
Compte des citations dans Scopus : 3.
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Abstract
Single-use metal-based coagulants, high molecular weight flocculants, engineered adsorbents, and porous media are key materials for several processes in water treatment. However, many of these materials are often expensive, unsustainable, and can increase the amount of sludge produced during the water treatment process. Moreover, the accumulation of toxic metals and synthetic flocculants limits sludge reusability as a fertilizer in agriculture. Herein, we propose reusable, low-cost and sustainable modified grains that can be simultaneously used as positively charged adsorbents to improve removal of soluble matter (natural organic matter), and ballast media to improve removal of particulate matter (turbidity or total suspended solids). Three different starting materials were used to synthesize these modified grains: pristine sand, recycled crushed glass, and grit extracted from a wastewater treatment plant, all of which were grafted with iron (hydr)oxides (Fe surface coverage of 13 and 81 %, synthesized with 0.02 and 2 M Fe, respectively). The modified grains were then employed as (i) adsorbents to remove natural organic matter, (ii) ballast media during flocculation to increase floc size and density, and (iii) filtration media for simultaneous removal of natural organic matter and turbidity. Compared to conventional treatment alone (coagulation and flocculation), the incorporation of modified grains simultaneously used as adsorbents and ballast media increased removal of natural organic matter (up to 16 %), microplastics (up to 92 %), and turbidity (< 1 NTU, with settling rate 18 times faster). Ultimately, modified grains could be used in existing ballasted flocculation processes – replacing conventional sand – to provide an additional NOM removal.
| Item Type: | Peer reviewed article published in a journal |
|---|---|
| Professor: | Professor Lapointe, Mathieu |
| Affiliation: | Génie de la construction |
| Date Deposited: | 31 Mar 2025 18:09 |
| Last Modified: | 10 Apr 2025 13:19 |
| URI: | https://espace2.etsmtl.ca/id/eprint/30696 |
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