Removal of Stormwater Contaminants Using a Mineral-based Approach Treatment

Abstract

Motorways and dual-carriageways are significant non-point pollution sources, releasing chemical pollutants including trace elements. During rainstorms, high levels of contaminants find their way into treatment facilities, leading to contamination overload. Consequently, contaminant concentrationsmay be above permitted levels for the water quality of agricultural uses andtherefore additional treatments are crucial to resolve the problem. This studyintroduces a novel mineral-based material which can be applied to urban or motorway stormwater requiring further remediation. It outlines an experiment undertaken that analyses the levels of trace elements before and after controlled contact time with the material. The results show that this material, under optimised conditions, will successfully remove Fe, Ni and Pb (≅ 98, 96, 99% removal), and most of the Cd and Cr (≅ 77, 88% removal) present in solution within a 2 minute contact time. Furthermore, extending contact time has no significant improvement in removal efficiency. It is hoped that the potential of this novel approach to treat polluted water will be recognised by industry and environmental engineers for future applications.