Enhancing infiltration water quality through reactive organic layers: field-scale evaluation of soil-aquifer treatment managed aquifer recharge using treated wastewater

IF 5.8 Q2 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

Groundwater for Sustainable Development Pub Date : 2026-08-01 DOI:10.1016/j.gsd.2026.101676

Selcuk Oral, Teresa E. Leitão, Tiago N. Martins, Nuno Correia, Patrícia Palma, Sukran Acikel, Mehmet Ekmekci

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Abstract

Declining water availability and increasing water demand highlight the need to improve water supply security and adopt sustainable water management approaches involving alternative water resources. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) uses alternative water resources, enhancing groundwater storage while ensuring its quality. This study presents results from a field-scale soil-aquifer treatment managed aquifer recharge (SAT-MAR) system, representing the first application in Portugal using basins to infiltrate treated wastewater from the Comporta Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). By comparing the performance of different infiltration basins, the study verified infiltration water quality improvement during vadose zone passage and evaluated groundwater deterioration risks. The system performance was examined across three infiltration basins (B). B1 and B2 were ameliorated with reactive organic layers (ROLs), containing a mixture of sand, 30% biochar and 15% granular activated carbon (GAC), respectively, compared to B4 with plain sand. The ROLs, designed as nature-based and energy-free, allowed a sustainable tertiary treatment for alternative water resources. GAC-ROL achieved superior pharmaceutical compounds (PhCs) removal (77%), compared to B1 (15%) and B4 (12%), reducing hydrophobic and polar compounds below quantification limits, including hydrochlorothiazide and sulfamethoxazole. Compound-specific adsorption and biodegradation patterns, characterized by pK_a and logK_ow, confirmed the higher retention capacity of GAC-ROL. The receiving aquifer showed ∼33% reduction of organic matter indicators (TOC, COD, UV254). Median stable pH (∼6.2) and redox (∼87 mV), indicated system buffering capabilities. Nutrients surpassed the groundwater (APA, 2023) regulatory thresholds in both vadose zone and groundwater, emphasizing the need for enhanced optimization at the WWTP. This study provides strong evidence that integrating ROLs into SAT-MAR systems enhances performance and improves TWW quality.

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通过活性有机层提高入渗水质：土壤-含水层处理的现场尺度评价管理含水层利用处理后的废水补给

水供应的减少和水需求的增加突出表明需要改善供水安全，并采取涉及替代水资源的可持续水管理办法。管理含水层补给（MAR）利用替代水资源，在保证水质的同时提高地下水储量。本研究展示了现场尺度土壤-含水层处理管理含水层补给（SAT-MAR）系统的结果，这是葡萄牙首次使用盆地渗透Comporta废水处理厂（WWTP）处理过的废水。通过对比不同入渗流域的表现，验证了渗透带通过过程中入渗水质的改善，并对地下水劣化风险进行了评价。系统性能在三个入渗盆地进行了测试(B)。B1和B2分别添加含有30%生物炭和15%颗粒活性炭（GAC）的活性有机层（rol），与添加普通砂的B4相比。ROLs的设计是基于自然和无能源的，允许对替代水资源进行可持续的三级处理。与B1（15%）和B4（12%）相比，GAC-ROL获得了更好的药物化合物（PhCs）去除率（77%），将疏水和极性化合物（包括氢氯噻嗪和磺胺甲恶唑）还原至定量限制以下。以pKa和logKow为特征的化合物特异性吸附和生物降解模式证实了GAC-ROL具有较高的保留能力。接收含水层的有机质指标（TOC、COD、UV254）降低了~ 33%。中位稳定pH（~ 6.2）和氧化还原（~ 87 mV）表明系统的缓冲能力。在渗流带和地下水中，营养物质都超过了地下水的调节阈值（APA, 2023），这强调了在污水处理厂加强优化的必要性。本研究提供了强有力的证据，证明将rol集成到SAT-MAR系统中可以提高性能并改善TWW质量。

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来源期刊

Groundwater for Sustainable Development Social Sciences-Geography, Planning and Development

CiteScore

11.50

自引率

10.20%

发文量

152

期刊介绍： Groundwater for Sustainable Development is directed to different stakeholders and professionals, including government and non-governmental organizations, international funding agencies, universities, public water institutions, public health and other public/private sector professionals, and other relevant institutions. It is aimed at professionals, academics and students in the fields of disciplines such as: groundwater and its connection to surface hydrology and environment, soil sciences, engineering, ecology, microbiology, atmospheric sciences, analytical chemistry, hydro-engineering, water technology, environmental ethics, economics, public health, policy, as well as social sciences, legal disciplines, or any other area connected with water issues. The objectives of this journal are to facilitate: • The improvement of effective and sustainable management of water resources across the globe. • The improvement of human access to groundwater resources in adequate quantity and good quality. • The meeting of the increasing demand for drinking and irrigation water needed for food security to contribute to a social and economically sound human development. • The creation of a global inter- and multidisciplinary platform and forum to improve our understanding of groundwater resources and to advocate their effective and sustainable management and protection against contamination. • Interdisciplinary information exchange and to stimulate scientific research in the fields of groundwater related sciences and social and health sciences required to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals for sustainable development.