Citation:

Burkhardt, J., Jeff Szabo, S. Klosterman, J. Hall, AND R. Murray. Modeling Fate and Transport of Arsenic in a Chlorinated Distribution System. ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING AND SOFTWARE. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 93(1):322-331, (2017).

Impact/Purpose:

Arsenic, a naturally occurring toxic material, is highly soluble and often found in water sources. Experimental and modeling studies were conducted to understand the fate and transport properties of arsenic in drinking water distribution systems. Pilot scale experiments were performed in a distribution system simulator by injecting arsenic and measuring both adsorption onto iron pipe material and the oxidation of arsenite by hypochlorite in tap water to form arsenate. A mathematical model describing these processes was developed and simulated using EPANET-MSX, a hydraulic and multi-species water quality software for pipe networks. Model parameters were derived from the pilot-scale experiments. The model was applied to both the distribution system simulator and EPANET, a real-world model of a drinking water system serving approximately 78,000 customers. The model can be applied to systems-level studies of arsenic fate and transport in drinking water resulting from natural occurrences, accidental spills, or intentional introduction into water. Results in this study highlight the importance of considering adsorption when modeling the fate and transport of Arsenic within water distribution networks.

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Journal Article

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