Henric Svensson

Treatment of wood leachate with high polyphenols content by peat and carbon-containing fly ash filters

In the present study, two combinations of filter materials in filter/columns were examined for removal of total organic carbon (TOC) and polyphenols (PP) found in storm water runoff from wood storage areas in a wooden floor industry. One filter/column was packed with peat mixed with carbon-containing fly ash, while another filter/column contained only peat (without ash). The mixture of peat and ash has shown faster and higher removal capacity for TOC and faster removal with the same final removal capacity for PP (in grams of pollutant per kg of sorbent) at the saturation point. The superiority observed for the peat and ash filter is presumably due to the unique characteristics of peat and ash, which enhanced the treatment efficiency when used together in a mixture. Based on the observed results, filters formed by peat and carbon-containing ashes proved to be a potentially low-cost option for the treatment of storm water generated at storage areas of wood materials such as logs, sawdust and wood chips.

Particle size characterization of oak wood leachate: chemical oxygen demand and toxicity distribution within different fractions

Oak wood leachate obtained from two storage facilities (storage pound and ditch) in a wood-based industry, and leachate generated by a laboratory leaching test, were characterized in seven categories regarding particle size distribution (PSD) (raw leachate, ≤ 20 μm, ≤ 10 μm, ≤ 1.2 μm, ≤ 13 nm, ≤ 5 nm and ≤ 2 nm). The PSD followed a normal distribution model with a correlation coefficient (r) varying from 82 to 88. Each fraction was analysed regarding chemical oxygen demand, polyphenols and acute toxicity in toxicity assays with Artemia salina, Vibrio fischeri and Lactuca sativa. Fractions with particles >1.2 μm were more toxic to A. salina and V. fisheri than fractions with particles ≤ 1.2 μm. No toxic effect was observed for L. sativa. The results suggest that polyphenols are the main toxic compounds in oak wood leachate. A conspicuous difference was found between field and laboratory samples.