ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Base-Treated Juniper Fiber Media for Removing
Heavy Metals in Stormwater Runoff
S.-H. Min1, T. L. Eberhardt2, Min Jang3
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1Samsung Corporation 5th Fl., Seohyun Bldg. 279-1, Seohyun-Dong,
Bundang-Gu Sungnam-Si, Gyonggi-Do, 463-824, Republic of Korea
2Southern Research Station, Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture,
2500 Shreveport Hwy, Pineville, LA 71360 US A
3Korea Mine Reclamation Corporation Coal Center, 80-6 Susong-Dong,
Jongno-Gu, Seoul, 110-727, Republic of Korea
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2007;16(5):731-738
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The viability of base-treated juniper fiber (BTJF) media for removing toxic heavy metals (Cd2+, Cu2+,
Pb2+, Zn2+) in stormwater runoff was investigated. The sorption ability of the BTJF for all metals was much
higher than that of untreated juniper. The affinity sequence of both materials, BTJF and untreated juniper,
was Pb > Cu > Zn≥Cd. This order is explained by the hydrolysis constants for each metal. A metal desorption
and column regeneration test using 0.1 M nitric acid showed that the metal sorption capacity declined
slightly from 136.3 to 119.2 μmole/g in the first two cycles and then more significantly at the third and
fourth regeneration, 72.3 and 83.1 μmole/g, respectively. Based on the hydraulic conductivity test of BTJF
of different size classes, it can be deduced that there is no major headloss-related disadvantage in using
BTJF instead of sand as stormwater filter media if the particle size of the BTJF is similar to that for sand.