Location: Sustainable Agricultural Water Systems Research
Project Number: 2032-13220-002-011-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2021
End Date: Apr 30, 2026
Objective:
The overall objective of this research is to develop low-cost pretreatments for managed aquifer recharge (MAR) sites to mitigate clogging and reduce contaminant loads.
Approach:
Low-cost pretreatments for managed aquifer recharge sites will be developed to mitigate clogging and reduce contaminant loads. A rapid sand filtration unit will be designed to use negatively charged sand, positively charged iron oxide coated sand, natural or engineered biochar media, and geotextile membranes to adsorb dissolved and colloidal contaminants with various charge (positive, negative, and/or neutrally charged) properties. In situ soil treatment will also be developed to stabilize clays so that clay release with changes in solution chemistry (decrease in ionic strength, and/or an increase in pH or sodium adsorption ratio) will be minimized. For example, the addition of a dilute solution of polymers like chitosan or polyacrylamide will be explored to treat soils to stabilize clays and minimize clogging.
