Aluminum Oxide–Coated Sand for Improved Treatment of Urban Stormwater

Infiltration facilities for urban stormwater runoff, such as biofilters, rain gardens, and curb extensions, typically contain an engineered soil mixture for effective drainage and retention of pollutants. The treatment efficiency of such soils is generally considered high for many pollutants. However, recent studies have revealed that in situ mobilization of soil organic matter may cause leaching of a range of pollutants and therefore diminish the long‐term performance of engineered soils. The purpose of this study was to develop and test sand coated with aluminum (Al) oxides for improving the retention of organic matter and a range of common pollutants in engineered soils. Two alternative Al‐coating methods were successfully developed in the laboratory. The Al coating of the sand increased the specific surface area from 0.3 to 1.1 m2 g−1 to 0.87 to 2.2 m2 g−1 depending on sand fraction. One method was upscaled to produce 100 kg coated sand. The stability of the coatings was studied in batch experiments. Dry shaking showed a high resistance of the coating against mechanical stress. Increasing the ionic strength by the addition of NaCl seemed to improve the stability of the coatings. Varying pH showed that acidic conditions could compromise the Al coating stability. Overall, one coating method showed slightly better results in terms of higher surface area and stability. The Al coating significantly improved the retention capacity of the sand toward dissolved organic carbon. The results document that it is possible to coat sand effectively with Al oxides and consequently to improve the retention capacity and lifetime of engineered soils for urban stormwater management. Core Ideas Methodology to coat sand with Al oxides for use in engineered soils was developed. We successfully upscaled coating method to large‐scale production. Coating stable toward mechanical stress, NaCl, pH, and redox sensitivity. Coating with Al oxides increased sorption capacity toward DOC significantly.