ISSN: 1945-7545
CODEN: GTJODJ
Page Count: 14

Geo-Environmental Assessment of a Micaceous Soil for Its Potential Use as an Engineered Clay Barrier

Mohamed, AMO
Associate director, Geotechnical Research Centre, adjunct professor, Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics Department, McGill University, Montreal,

Yong, RN
William Scott professor, Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics Department, director, Geotechnical Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal,

Tan, BK
Lecturer, University Kegangsaan Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia

Farkas, A
Consulting geologist, Toronto, Ontario

Curtis, LW
President, Laurence Curtis & Associates Inc., Toronto, Ontario

Abstract

The ability of the fine fraction of a natural micaceous soil in the Stanleyville area near Perth, Ontario, to retard an acidic waste leachate is examined. Batch and leaching column tests were used to investigate the retention capcity of the natural soil. To investigate the effect of ion competition on adsorption/desorption capacity of the soil, single and multi-components of Pb²⁺ and Zn²⁺ were used in batch experiments. The experimental results from column leaching tests were analyzed in terms of adsorption/desorption isotherms, breakthrough curves, and migration profiles of each specific ion in the influent. It was shown that the soil has high adsorption capacity for K⁺, Pb²⁺, and Zn²⁺ as indicated from the concentration profiles of the soil pore fluid with depth during leaching. At the same time, desorption of Na⁺, Mg²⁺, and Ca²⁺ occurred due to ion exchange.

The experimental data were analyzed using a phenomenological approach based on nondimensional analysis, analytical solution via Fourier series, and the root time method. The calculated diffusion parameters are presented and compared with the literature.

Keywords:
adsorption, desorption, micaceous soil, pH buffering capacity, adsorption isotherm, leaching columns, diffusion, advection, analytical

Paper ID: GTJ10104J
DOI: 10.1520/GTJ10104J
ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.