Analysis of the possibility of using concrete waste in the groundwater remediation

The annual intensive exploitation of natural resources results in the generation of substantial amounts of waste, with construction being the primary contributor. This sector is accountable for nearly half of all non-renewable resources consumed by humanity and for producing over one million construction and demolition (C&D) wastes annually. An alternative approach to managing construction and demolition wastes involves recycling and reclaiming materials on-site for environmental remediation purposes. The research aimed to explore the potential use of concrete waste as a reactive material for groundwater remediation contaminated with heavy metals (Cu, Zn) and chlorides. Concrete C&D waste was gathered from demolition sites in Warsaw, crushed to the appropriate size, and subjected to preliminary tests to assess its physical and chemical properties, including granulometric analysis, absorbability, specific surface area, and sorption capacity. Additionally, surface modification of selected concrete wastes was performed to enhance their ability to retain contaminants, alongside batch tests (kinetic and chemical equilibrium reaction) using both raw and modified materials. The kinetic studies indicated that the pseudo-second order model best fit the test results (determination coefficient ��2 value in the range of 0.72–0.99), while the chemical equilibrium studies revealed that the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Redlich–Peterson models were suitable (��2 in the range of 0.70–0.90). The findings demonstrated that C&D waste holds promise as an adsorbent material for environmental protection and remediation purposes.