Green inhibitors reduce unwanted calcium carbonate precipitation: Implications for technical settings

Stefanie Eichinger; Ronny Boch; Albrecht Leis; Andre Baldermann; Gunnar Domberger; Christian Schwab; Martin Dietzel

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2021.117850

Green inhibitors reduce unwanted calcium carbonate precipitation: Implications for technical settings

Stefanie Eichinger^*, Ronny Boch, Albrecht Leis, Andre Baldermann, Gunnar Domberger, Christian Schwab, Martin Dietzel

^*Corresponding author for this work

Institute of Applied Geosciences (2210)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Mineral scale deposits in water drainage and supply systems are a common and challenging issue, especially by clogging the water flow. The removal of such unwanted deposits is cost intensive arguing for case-specific and sustainable prevention strategies. In the present study, a novel on-site approach to prevent calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) scale formation was assessed in two road tunnel drainages: Application of the eco-friendly green inhibitor polyaspartate (PASP) caused (i) a significant inhibition of CaCO₃ precipitation, (ii) a more porous or even unconsolidated consistence of the deposits, and (iii) a shift from calcite to the metastable aragonite and vaterite polymorphs. Even relatively low PASP concentrations (1–33 mg/l) can significantly decrease CaCO₃ scale deposition, removing up to ∼7 t CaCO₃/year at an efficiency up to 84%. Application of PASP for water conditioning should also consider case-specific microbial activity effects, where consumption of PASP, e.g. by Leptothrix ochracea, can limit inhibition effects.

Original language	English
Article number	117850
Journal	Water Research
Volume	208
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2021.117850
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2022

Keywords

Calcium carbonate
Environmental monitoring
Green inhibitor
Leptothrix ochracea
Polyaspartate
Tunnel drainage

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Environmental Engineering
Civil and Structural Engineering
Ecological Modelling
Water Science and Technology
Waste Management and Disposal
Pollution

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10.1016/j.watres.2021.117850

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title = "Green inhibitors reduce unwanted calcium carbonate precipitation: Implications for technical settings",

abstract = "Mineral scale deposits in water drainage and supply systems are a common and challenging issue, especially by clogging the water flow. The removal of such unwanted deposits is cost intensive arguing for case-specific and sustainable prevention strategies. In the present study, a novel on-site approach to prevent calcium carbonate (CaCO3) scale formation was assessed in two road tunnel drainages: Application of the eco-friendly green inhibitor polyaspartate (PASP) caused (i) a significant inhibition of CaCO3 precipitation, (ii) a more porous or even unconsolidated consistence of the deposits, and (iii) a shift from calcite to the metastable aragonite and vaterite polymorphs. Even relatively low PASP concentrations (1–33 mg/l) can significantly decrease CaCO3 scale deposition, removing up to ∼7 t CaCO3/year at an efficiency up to 84%. Application of PASP for water conditioning should also consider case-specific microbial activity effects, where consumption of PASP, e.g. by Leptothrix ochracea, can limit inhibition effects.",

keywords = "Calcium carbonate, Environmental monitoring, Green inhibitor, Leptothrix ochracea, Polyaspartate, Tunnel drainage",

author = "Stefanie Eichinger and Ronny Boch and Albrecht Leis and Andre Baldermann and Gunnar Domberger and Christian Schwab and Martin Dietzel",

note = "Funding Information: The study was financially supported by the Austrian Motorway and Expressway Network Operator (ASFINAG). Judith Jernej, Maria Hierz and Andrea Wolf are acknowledged for their dedicated work at the TU Graz laboratories. We would like to thank Sabine Lindbichler from JR-AquaConSol GmbH for her work related to Fluorometer and DOC analysis, as well as Clara Chan for her helpful comments on Fe-oxidizing bacteria. Chemical and mineralogical analyses were conducted in the NAWI Graz Central Lab for Water, Minerals and Rocks. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors",

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AU - Eichinger, Stefanie

AU - Boch, Ronny

AU - Leis, Albrecht

AU - Baldermann, Andre

AU - Domberger, Gunnar

AU - Schwab, Christian

AU - Dietzel, Martin

N1 - Funding Information: The study was financially supported by the Austrian Motorway and Expressway Network Operator (ASFINAG). Judith Jernej, Maria Hierz and Andrea Wolf are acknowledged for their dedicated work at the TU Graz laboratories. We would like to thank Sabine Lindbichler from JR-AquaConSol GmbH for her work related to Fluorometer and DOC analysis, as well as Clara Chan for her helpful comments on Fe-oxidizing bacteria. Chemical and mineralogical analyses were conducted in the NAWI Graz Central Lab for Water, Minerals and Rocks. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors

PY - 2022/1/1

Y1 - 2022/1/1

N2 - Mineral scale deposits in water drainage and supply systems are a common and challenging issue, especially by clogging the water flow. The removal of such unwanted deposits is cost intensive arguing for case-specific and sustainable prevention strategies. In the present study, a novel on-site approach to prevent calcium carbonate (CaCO3) scale formation was assessed in two road tunnel drainages: Application of the eco-friendly green inhibitor polyaspartate (PASP) caused (i) a significant inhibition of CaCO3 precipitation, (ii) a more porous or even unconsolidated consistence of the deposits, and (iii) a shift from calcite to the metastable aragonite and vaterite polymorphs. Even relatively low PASP concentrations (1–33 mg/l) can significantly decrease CaCO3 scale deposition, removing up to ∼7 t CaCO3/year at an efficiency up to 84%. Application of PASP for water conditioning should also consider case-specific microbial activity effects, where consumption of PASP, e.g. by Leptothrix ochracea, can limit inhibition effects.

AB - Mineral scale deposits in water drainage and supply systems are a common and challenging issue, especially by clogging the water flow. The removal of such unwanted deposits is cost intensive arguing for case-specific and sustainable prevention strategies. In the present study, a novel on-site approach to prevent calcium carbonate (CaCO3) scale formation was assessed in two road tunnel drainages: Application of the eco-friendly green inhibitor polyaspartate (PASP) caused (i) a significant inhibition of CaCO3 precipitation, (ii) a more porous or even unconsolidated consistence of the deposits, and (iii) a shift from calcite to the metastable aragonite and vaterite polymorphs. Even relatively low PASP concentrations (1–33 mg/l) can significantly decrease CaCO3 scale deposition, removing up to ∼7 t CaCO3/year at an efficiency up to 84%. Application of PASP for water conditioning should also consider case-specific microbial activity effects, where consumption of PASP, e.g. by Leptothrix ochracea, can limit inhibition effects.

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KW - Environmental monitoring

KW - Green inhibitor

KW - Leptothrix ochracea

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Green inhibitors reduce unwanted calcium carbonate precipitation: Implications for technical settings

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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