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Advances in Environmental Research Volume 6, Number 1, March 2017 , pages 067-81 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/.2017.6.1.067 |
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Mathematical model for reactive transport of heavy metals in soil column: Based on PHREEQC and HP1 simulators |
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Fatemeh Izadi Tameh, Gholamreza Asadollahfardi and Ahmad Khodadadi Darban
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| Abstract | ||
| Mining activities play a significant role in environmental pollution by producing large amounts of tailings which comprise heavy metals. The impressive increase in mining activities in recent decades, due to their high influence on the industry of developing countries, duplicates the need for a substantial effort to develop and apply efficient measures of pollution control, mitigation, and abatement. In this study, our objective was to investigate the effect of simulation of the leachate, pH and inflow intensity of transport of Pb2+, Zn2+, and Cd2+ through Lakan lead and zinc plant tailings, in Iran, and to evaluate the modeling efficiency by comparing the modeling results and the results obtained from previous column studies. We used the HP1 model and the PHREEQC database to simulate metals transport through a saturated soil column during a 15 day time period. The simulations assumed local equilibrium. As expected, a lower pH and inflow intensity increased metal transport. The retardation of heavy metals followed the order Zn2+>Pb2+>Cd2+ and the removal concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn at the inflow intensity critical scenario, and Cd and Pb at inflow acidity critical scenario exceeded the allowable EPA and Iranian\'s 1053 standard thresholds. However, although the simulation results generally agreed well with the results of the column study, improvements are expected by using multi-dimensional models and a kinetic modeling approach for the reactions involved. The results of such investigations will be highly useful for designing preventative strategies to control reactive transport of hazardous metals and minimize their environmental effects. | ||
| Key Words | ||
| lakan plant tailing; HP1; PHREEQC; heavy metals; Cd, Pb, and Zn; lakan lead and zinc plant | ||
| Address | ||
| Fatemeh Izadi Tameh: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Kharazmi University, Iran Gholamreza Asadollahfardi: Department of Civil Engineering, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran Ahmad Khodadadi Darban: Department of Mining Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran | ||
