Removal mechanism of common pollutants using sponge iron and manganese sand under dynamic vertical flow condition

QIU Lin; JIANG Cheng; NIE Fahui; CAO Wenping; LIU Yong

doi:10.13205/j.hjgc.202511005

Volume 43 Issue 11

Nov. 2025

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QIU Lin, JIANG Cheng, NIE Fahui, CAO Wenping, LIU Yong. Removal mechanism of common pollutants using sponge iron and manganese sand under dynamic vertical flow condition[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(11): 40-49. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202511005

Citation:

QIU Lin, JIANG Cheng, NIE Fahui, CAO Wenping, LIU Yong. Removal mechanism of common pollutants using sponge iron and manganese sand under dynamic vertical flow condition[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING , 2025, 43(11): 40-49. doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202511005

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Removal mechanism of common pollutants using sponge iron and manganese sand under dynamic vertical flow condition

doi: 10.13205/j.hjgc.202511005

QIU Lin^1,2,
JIANG Cheng^{2,3
,},
NIE Fahui^1
,,
CAO Wenping⁴,
LIU Yong^2,3

1. School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, East China Jiaotong University, Nanchang 330013, China;
2. Institute of Energy Research, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China;
3. Jiangxi Carbon Neutralization Research Center, Nanchang 330096, China;
4. Jiangsu LYG Environmental Technology Co., Ltd., Xuzhou 221003, China

Received Date: 2024-04-16
Accepted Date: 2024-06-14
Rev Recd Date: 2024-05-30

Available Online: 2026-01-09

Abstract

Abstract

The utilization of iron and manganese minerals in water purification has gained significant research attention recently， driven by the need for sustainable and cost-effective solutions to address water pollution. Their remarkable properties， such as potent ion exchange capabilities， excellent adsorption potential， and notable oxidation characteristics， make them highly promising matrix materials for water treatment. These minerals are not only abundant and eco-friendly but also exhibit unique physicochemical properties that enhance their effectiveness in removing contaminants from water systems. To thoroughly examine and compare the efficacy of iron and manganese minerals in removing nitrogen and phosphorus in constructed wetlands， sponge iron and manganese sand were selected as substrates for a series of adsorption experiments. The phase composition and surface morphology of these substrates were analyzed using X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. The experiments showed that， under static conditions， both sponge iron and manganese sand exhibited superior adsorption effects on total phosphorus （TP） compared to ammonia nitrogen （NH⁺₄-N）. The theoretical saturated adsorption capacity for TP was 587.38 mg/kg for sponge iron and 284.51 mg/kg for manganese sand， with a desorption rate of only around 10%. This low desorption rate suggests that the adsorbed phosphorus is unlikely to be released back into the water， making these materials highly effective for long-term phosphorus removal. In dynamic vertical flow tests， sponge iron effectively eliminated TP through a combination of adsorption and co-precipitation involving metal mineral components. Both soluble reactive phosphorus （SRP） and particulate phosphorus （PP） showed impressive removal efficiencies， demonstrating the versatility of sponge iron in targeting different forms of phosphorus. However， due to the lack of ion exchange mechanisms， the average removal rate for NH⁺₄-N was only around 40%， indicating its limited effectiveness for nitrogen removal. In contrast， manganese sand， with its unique metal mineral composition， surface morphology， and chemical adsorption-dominated mechanism， exhibited strong adsorption capacity for various pollutants. The presence of manganese oxides facilitated redox reactions， crucial for degrading organic pollutants and removing heavy metals. Additionally， manganese sand was particularly effective in removing macromolecular substances in aromatic proteins， enhancing dissolved organic matter （DOM） components and significantly improving water quality. These findings strongly suggest that manganese sand holds great promise for extensive application in water treatment.
- constructed wetland,
- sponge iron,
- manganese sand,
- nitrogen and phosphorus removal,
- dynamic vertical flow

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References(34)

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