Evidence details

rebecca.killalea@canberra.edu.au on 16 Mar 2022
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Study

Citation
Erickson, A. J., Gulliver, J. S., & Weiss, P. T. (2012). Capturing phosphates with iron enhanced sand filtration. Water Research.
Study description
This study investigated the effectiveness of iron filings in sand filtration system for the removal of phosphates. The study looked at both the percentage of phosphates captured by the iron filings and the impacts on hydraulic conductivity as a result of the iron filings.

Response

Cause term/trajectory
Sediment quality - metals (Increase)
Cause description
Increased iron filings in a sand filtration system. The study investigated the impact of 0%, 0.3%, 2% and 5% iron filings in sand filtration media.
Effect term/trajectory
Water quality - nutrients (phosphorus) (Decrease)
Effect description
Decreased phosphate in outflow. The study found that an increased percentage of iron filings resulted in greater capture of phosphate within the sand media. An average of 88% of phosphates were captured with 5% iron filings in the media, 79% with 2% iron filings and 18% with 0.3% iron filings. The control treatment of sand media only showed an increase in phosphates from influent to effluent which the authors explain as a phosphate release from the media.
Response measure type
Other
Response measure description
Event mean concentration

Design

Source data
Laboratory
Study type
Manipulation
Study design
Control/reference vs. treatment/impact (no before)
Number of independent control or reference sampling units
1
Number of indendent impact or treatment sampling units
1 Control (sand media) and 3 of each treatment (0.3% iron, 2% iron, 5% iron)
Sample size used in analysis
Influent (n=112), control (n= 112), treatment effluents (n=336)

Context

Climate
Cold (continental)
Country
United States
Habitat
Artificial
Spatial extent
Other
Temporal extent
Snapshot
Context description
Spatial extent - column laboratory experiments (5.08cm diameter columns used)