Shedding light on dirty water

Summary

Reactive barriers are buried interceptors used to clean up polluted streams of underground water, so reducing health and environmental risks. In this project CRC CARE researchers are developing a novel, highly efficient form of reactive barrier capable of completely degrading toxic organic pollutants and some heavy metals from the contaminated groundwater through a combination of oxidation and adsorption. The method will be further enhanced through the use of adsorption and catalytic oxidation to break down pollutants.

Project description

The objective of this project is to devise an effective permeable reactive barrier for complete degradation of toxic organic pollutants and some heavy metals from the contaminated subsurface water, which is suited to Australian contaminated sites. Complete degradation would be achieved by combining chemical (advanced) oxidation and adsorption/biosorption techniques.

Journal publications

Terdkiatburana, T, Wang, S & Tadé, MO 2008, 'Competition and complexation of heavy metal ions and humic acid on zeolitic MCM-22 and activated carbon', Chemical Engineering Journal 139: 437-444.

Wang, S 2008, 'A comparative study of Fenton and Fenton-like reaction kinetics in decolourisation of wastewater', Dyes and Pigments 76: 714-720.

Wang, S, Ang, HM & Tadé, MO 2008, 'Novel applications of red mud as coagulant, adsorbent and catalyst for environmentally benign processes', Chemosphere 72: 1621-1635.

Wang, S, Terdkiatburana, T & Tadé, MO 2008, 'Single and co-adsorption of heavy metals and humic acid on fly ash', Separation and Purification Technology 58: 353-358.

Wang, S, Terdkiatburana, T & Tadé, MO 2008, 'Adsorption of Cu(II), Pb(II) and humic acid on natural zeolite tuff in single and binary systems', Separation and Purification Technology 62: 64-70.

Widiastuti, N, Wu, H, Ang, HM & Zhang, D 2008, 'The potential application of natural zeolite for greywater treatment', Desalination 218: 271-280.

Conference papers

Hossain, GSM & McLaughlan, RG 2009, ‘Sorption of 2-chlorophenol, 4-chlorophenol and 2, 4-dichlorophenol from aqueous solutions using low cost sorbents’, in 3rd International Contaminated Site Remediation Conference: Program and Proceedings, CleanUp 09, Adelaide 27-30 September, pp.5-6.