Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Engineering - Department of Civil Engineering

This study investigates the efficiency of using Zeolite nano-clay and silica sand in the removal of iron from groundwater.The objective of the study was achieved through a number of steps. Firstly, batch experiments are conducted to determine the right size of silica sand to mix with nano-clay and their iron removal efficiency. Secondly, an experimental model simulating permeable reactive barrier (PRB) is built to identify the parameters that affect the removal efficiency and evaluate such effect (e.g., iron concentration,head difference, contact time, nano-clay dosage and thickness of PRB). Finally, a numerical contaminant transport model simulating nanoparticles{u2019} effect on contaminated groundwater is developed to obtain sorption isotherm coefficients. The results indicated that increasing iron concentration 20-80 ppm and head difference 4-15 cm decreases iron removal efficiency 58-31 % and 54-51 %, respectively. The mix of zeolite nano-clay and coarse silica sand improves iron removal efficiency specially at high concentrations 58-85 % at 20 ppm and 31-76 % at 80 ppm. Furthermore, increasing nano-clay dosage 1:30-1:15 slightly increases the removal efficiency about 6 %. However, increasing the thickness of filter layer 10-25 cm significantly improves the removal efficiency about 15 %.The MT3DMS numerical model included within the Groundwater Modeling System (GMS) was used along with the different experimental data to obtain reaction rate values for linear, Freundlich, and Langmuir isotherms

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