Flexible Reactive Berm (FRBerm) for Removal of Heavy Metals from Runoff Water: ESTCP ER 1213 Treatability Study

Abstract : Small arms firing ranges located on Department of Defense facilities are, in many cases, constructed next to wetland areas. Access to wetland areas is typically limited due to a lack of roads. Standard environmental remedial options and monitoring techniques are expensive to implement due to the nature of the terrain and seasonal changes in water flow. Metals are highly associated with the soil particles making up the total suspended solids in the runoff water. Reactive materials were assembled into a barrier similar to erosion control socks using a non-woven geotextile filled with well-graded sand, amended with five percent (weight: weight, w:w) iron/manganese-oxides (TRAPPS) and/or five percent (w:w) treated apatite. The socks were tested under mesoscale lysimeter conditions and removal of metals from solution was confirmed. The reactive socks adsorbed greater than 95 percent of metals in the solution. Once the reactive material was exhausted, it was tested and found to pass the TCLP test for placement in a non-hazardous landfill. Sock placement was determined using predictive models for surface runoff.