Migration simulation and pollution assessment of Cr (III) and ammonia from tannery wastewater in typical vadose zone in North China Plain

PANG Yajie; LI Chunhui; HAN Zhantao; ZHANG Zhaoji; KONG Xiangke

doi:10.12029/gc20220518003

2024 Vol. 51, No. 4

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PANG Yajie, LI Chunhui, HAN Zhantao, ZHANG Zhaoji, KONG Xiangke. 2024. Migration simulation and pollution assessment of Cr (III) and ammonia from tannery wastewater in typical vadose zone in North China Plain[J]. Geology in China, 51(4): 1280-1289. doi: 10.12029/gc20220518003

Citation:

PANG Yajie, LI Chunhui, HAN Zhantao, ZHANG Zhaoji, KONG Xiangke. 2024. Migration simulation and pollution assessment of Cr (III) and ammonia from tannery wastewater in typical vadose zone in North China Plain[J]. Geology in China, 51(4): 1280-1289. doi: 10.12029/gc20220518003

Migration simulation and pollution assessment of Cr (III) and ammonia from tannery wastewater in typical vadose zone in North China Plain

1.
School of Water Resources and Environment, Beijing Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, and MOE Key Laboratory of Groundwater Circulation and Environmental Evolution, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
2.
Center for Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, China Geological Survey, Baoding 071000, Hebei, China
3.
North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450046, Henan, China
4.
Institute of Hydrogeology & Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, Hebei, China
5.
Key Laboratory of Groundwater Remediation of Hebei Province and China Geological Survey, Shijiazhuang 050061, Hebei, China

Fund Project: Supported by Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (No. D2020504003).

More Information

Author Bio: PANG Yajie, born in 1987, senior engineer, doctor candidate, majors in hydrogeology; E-mail: pangyajie@mail.cgs.gov.cn
Corresponding author: KONG Xiangke, born in 1987, associated researcher, engaged in soil and groundwater contamination mechanisms and remediation; E-mail: kongxiangke@mai.cgs.gov.cn.

Received Date: 18 May 2022

Revised Date: 03 October 2022

Publish Date: 25 July 2024

Abstract

Abstract

This paper is the result of environmental geological survey engineering.
Objective
This study aims to elucidate the migration patterns of characteristic pollutants, i.e., chromium (Cr(III)) and ammonium nitrogen (NH₄⁺–N), from tannery wastewater in the vadose zone of the North China Plain and to assess the potential risks of soil and groundwater contamination.
Methods
The adsorption and transport characteristics of Cr(III) and NH₄⁺–N in typical silts were examined using soil column leaching experiments. Additionally, the vadose zone water flow and solute transport model established by Hydrus−1D was utilized to simulate and predict the time required for NH₄⁺–N to reach the groundwater table at a depth of 0.5 m under continuous infiltration conditions, along with changes in concentrations at various depths.
Results
Under a constant head of 3 cm and a pollutant solution concentration (Cr(III) 20 mg/L and NH₄⁺–N 250 mg/L) maintained for 120 d, the vertical migration distance of Cr(III) in the soil column was less than 10 cm, predominantly in the residual form (73%), with no detection of Cr(VI). By contrast, NH₄⁺–N exhibited a stronger migration capability, penetrating a 50 cm thick silt column within 40 d. Under high salinity conditions (EC: 10.08 ms/cm), the migration of NH₄⁺–N was controlled by adsorption, with a K_d of 25.87 L/kg, and no nitrification occurred. After 150 d of continuous leaching, NH₄⁺–N migrated to the groundwater table (18 m depth) with concentrations exceeding the Class III Groundwater Quality Standard (0.5 mg/L, GB/T 14848–2017). By 223 d, it completely penetrated the vadose zone, severely contaminating the groundwater.
Conclusions
In high–salinity tannery wastewater, Cr (III) exhibits limited migration capacity in silt and is difficult to oxidize to Cr (VI), posing a lesser threat to groundwater. Conversely, NH₄⁺–N rapidly migrates to the groundwater surface with water flow, posing a serious threat to groundwater safety.
- trivalent chromium /
- ammonium nitrogen /
- vadose zone /
- migration /
- Hydrus–1D /
- tannery wastewater /
- North China Plain /
- environmental geological survey engineering

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