Author(s): Mohamed Bey Zekkoub; Pablo Tassi; Norinda Chhim

Linked Author(s):

Keywords: Modeling; Polymers; Rivers; Sediment; Advection; Diffusion; Adsorption; OpenTELEMAC

Abstract: The accurate modeling and prediction of polymers fate when discharged in rivers is of great importance to understand their impact on aquatic and soil ecosystems. This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the environmental fate of sodium polyacrylate, a widely-used polymer across many industries, in a reach of the Seine River through an integrated approach combining laboratory experiments, numerical simulations, and analytical modeling. Laboratory adsorption experiments were conducted to investigate its adsorption for calcite and kaolin, minerals representative of suspended sediments in the Seine River. Hydrodynamics results were validated using velocity field measurements. One-dimensional analytical solutions were derived and first used to validate the numerical simulations for the corresponding to the polymer model in a controlled flume-like configuration, and subsequently applied to the Seine River reach to assess their applicability in complex riverine systems. Laboratory experiments were used to validate the adsorption sub-model named “the one-step reversible model”, and therefore the adsorption parameters obtained from model calibration were incorporated into the river model to investigate the impact of suspended sediments mineralogical composition on sodium polyacrylate transport and fate. This multidisciplinary approach enhances our understanding of polymers behavior in aquatic environments, providing valuable insights for environmental management and pollution mitigation strategies.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64697/978-90-835589-7-4_41WC-P1698-cd

Year: 2025