Modelling of metal polluant leaching through a smectite.

Chantal Proust (1) , Agnès Jullien (2) , Roger Lédée (3) , Lydie Le Forestier (1)

1 ISTO - Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans
2 IFSTTAR/AME/EASE - Environnement, Aménagement, Sécurité et Eco-conception
3 PRISME - Laboratoire Pluridisciplinaire de Recherche en Ingénierie des Systèmes, Mécanique et Energétique

Laboratory tests are performed to characterise the soaking and retention properties of a clay barrier (Fo-Ca) under controlled homogeneous conditions. A physical model that allows calculating the retention properties and kinetics observed during the test is then detailed, and lastly simulations are examined using various soaking conditions. The results show the model predictions of cumulative cation concentrations in leachates (i.e. copper retention by clay). These curves are accurately fit by the model with the experimental data for the leaching phenomena. Clay retention capacity until reaching a physical limit in the exchanges is evidenced as well, with this limit being input into the model as the clay CEC.

Keywords: Leaching; metals; clay; copper; kinetic; modelling; CEC

Domains: Continental interfaces, environment; Global Changes

Chantal Proust, Agnès Jullien, Roger Lédée, Lydie Le Forestier. Modelling of metal polluant leaching through a smectite.. Applied Clay Science, 2012, 59-60, pp.13-18. ⟨10.1016/j.clay.2012.01.017⟩. ⟨insu-00665250⟩