Deicing salts' effects on engineered soils in stormwater management systems

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Bio(in)filtration systems are constructed using engineered media which may or may not contain supplemental organic matter and clay-sized particles. They often are sited near transportation facilities, such as parking lot traffic islands and potentially along residential and commercial streets. Their location near transportation-related facilities, however, leaves them vulnerable to being used to store salt-laden snow during the winter months. During snowmelt times, the salt percolates through the media with the water and potentially reacts with the media. Many studies have shown that both sodium and chloride are poorly removed by filtration media. In addition, sodium-based salts can affect soil structure by internal particle movement, cementation, particle agglomeration, and ion exchange. This preliminary study focused on the effect of sodium chloride loadings on two engineered soils, one with and one without compost and both with clay-sized particles. For similar salt loadings, the flow rate decrease was substantially greater for the compost-amended soil than for the soil only. This indicates that the compost reacted with either the sodium or chloride, affecting the flow rate. This is further confirmed because mercury intrusion porosimetry testing did not show a reduced median pore size as would be expected if the clays had destabilized. In addition, the sodium loadings resulted in the loss of zinc from both media, indicating that the winter salt loading had the potential to cause of release of previously-trapped pollutants, such as metals.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationWEFTEC 2012 - 85th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Pages4933-4941
Number of pages9
ISBN (Electronic)9781510870437
StatePublished - Jan 1 2012
Event85th Annual Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference, WEFTEC 2012 - New Orleans, United States
Duration: Sep 29 2012Oct 3 2012

Publication series

NameWEFTEC 2012 - 85th Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference
Volume8

Conference

Conference85th Annual Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference, WEFTEC 2012
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityNew Orleans
Period9/29/1210/3/12

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Ecological Modeling
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Pollution
  • Waste Management and Disposal
  • Water Science and Technology

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