REU Final Report

Jeff Kyle

Dr. David Sabatini

Gavin James

Research Question

What are the sorptive properties of a specific soil based on the amount and

type of organic matter contained within that soil?

Objectives

• Investigate sorption properties of Canadian River Alluvium (CRA) & powdered activated charcoal (PAC)

• Simulate Cheshire and Florida Peat

• Compare results

Hypothesis

Do opaque particles tend to govern sorption behavior?

Materials Used

• CRA• PAC• Simulated Cheshire• Simulated Florida Peat

• Organic Contaminant (Phenanthrene, C14H10)

• Synthetic GW

Methods Used

• Develop initial equilibrium sorption study

• Develop initial kinetic sorption study

• Determine synthetic soil makeup

• Develop new equilibrium and kinetic sorption studies

• Make comparisons

Anticipated Results

• Large Kfr and Koc values for PAC (why?)

• Kfr and Koc values for simulated soils will differ (why and how?)

• Kfr increases as foc increases

Actual Results

Soil Opaque (%) foc (%) Kfr

CRA 0.04 0.40 357.27

PAC 100 100 400,000.00

Cheshire 0.08 1.40 2789.80

Sim. Chesh. 0.08 0.48 2209.10

Fl. Peat 3.99 49.30 234,159.00

Sim. Fl. Peat 3.99 4.39 56,760.00

Actual Results (cont)

• CRA Equilibrium Isotherm

• % Opaque = 0.04• % foc = 0.40• Kfr = 357.27

y = 357.27x0.6554

R2 = 0.96670

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

0 50 100 150

Ce (ug/L)q

e (

ug

/kg

)

Actual Results (cont)

• Cheshire Equilibrium Isotherm (top)

• % Opaque = 0.08

• % foc = 1.40

• Kfr = 2789.80

• Sim. Cheshire (bottom)

• % Opaque = 0.08

• % foc = 0.48

• Kfr = 2209.10

y = 2789.8x0.8728

R2 = 0.98280

50000

100000

150000

0 20 40 60 80 100

Ce (ug/L)

qe (u

g/Kg

)y = 2209.1x0.5781

R2 = 0.8580

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

0 50 100 150

Ce (ug/L)

qe (u

g/kg

)

Actual Results (cont)

• Fl. Peat Equilibrium Isotherm (top)

• % Opaque = 3.99

• % foc = 49.30

• Kfr = 70,574

• Sim. Fl. Peat (bottom)

• % Opaque = 3.99

• % foc = 4.39

• Kfr = 56,760

y = 70574x0.6269

R2 = 0.99810

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

0 50 100 150 200 250

Ce (mg/L)

qe

(m

g/K

g)

y = 56760x0.379

R2 = 0.96760100000200000300000400000500000

0 50 100 150 200Ce (ug/L)

qe

(ug

/kg

)

Actual Results (cont)

Sim. Florida Peat Kinetic

0

500

1000

1500

0 5 10 15

Time (days)

Kd

Conclusions

• CRA displays expected Kfr and Koc values

• PAC displays large Kfr and Koc values, as expected

• Soil comparisons follow general trends; opaque important, but must consider all OC