Biologically induced concrete deterioration in a wastewater treatment plant assessed by combining microstructural analysis with thermodynamic modeling
Source abstract
Abstract
In the nitrification basins of wastewater treatment plants, deterioration of the concrete surface can occur due to acid attack caused by a nitrifying biofilm covering the concrete. To identify the mechanism of deterioration, concrete cubes of different composition were suspended in an aerated nitrification basin of a wastewater treatment plant for two years and analyzed afterwards. The microstructural investigation reveals that not only dissolution of hydrates takes place, but that calcite precipitation close to the surface occurs leading to the formation of a dense layer. The degree of deterioration of the different cubes correlates with the CaO content of the different cements used. Cements which contain a high fraction of CaO form more calcite offering a better protection against the acid attack. The presence of slag, which lowers the amount CaO in the cement, leads to a faster deterioration of the concrete than observed for samples produced with pure OPC.
Source: openaire · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Wastewater Treatment and Nitrogen Removal · Odor and Emission Control Technologies · Concrete and Cement Materials Research
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (49)
Show source-provided references
1. The corrosion of concrete 1. Isolation of a species of bacterium associated with the corrosion of concrete exposed to atmospheres containing hydrogen sulphide10.1038/icb.1945.13 ↗
2. Biodeterioration of mineral materials by microorganisms — biogenic sulfuric and nitric acid corrosion of concrete and natural stone10.1080/01490459109385994 ↗
3. Statistical analysis of microbially influenced deterioration of concrete
4. Sand · Wasser Boden · 1987 · 5 · 237
5. Analysis of concrete from corroded sewer pipe10.1016/S0964-8305(98)00049-3 ↗
6. Analysis of the microbial communities on corroded concrete sewer pipes — a case study10.1007/s002530100826 ↗
7. Microbiological mechanisms of deterioration of inorganic substrates — a general mechanistic overview10.1016/S0964-8305(97)00048-6 ↗
8. In situ analysis of nitrifying biofilm as determined by in situ hybridization and the use of microelectrodes10.1128/AEM.65.7.3182-3191.1999 ↗
9. Demonstration of mass transfer and pH effects in a nitrifying biofilm10.1016/0043-1354(87)90131-X ↗
10. Leaching of cement: study of the surface layer10.1016/S0008-8846(96)00157-3 ↗
11. Behaviour of crystallized phases of Portland cement upon water attack10.1007/BF02524776 ↗
12. Long-term behaviour of cement pastes used for nuclear waste disposal: review of physico-chemical mechanisms of water degradation10.1016/S0008-8846(98)00053-2 ↗
13. Modelling of leaching in pure cement paste mortar10.1016/S0008-8846(99)00208-2 ↗
14. Change in pore structure and composition of hardened cement paste during the process of dissolution10.1016/j.cemconres.2004.06.001 ↗
15. Effects of porosity on leaching of Ca from hardened ordinary Portland cement paste10.1016/j.cemconres.2004.06.034 ↗
16. [16] E. Koelliker, Über die Wirkung von Wasser und wässriger Kohlensäure auf Beton, Werkstoffwiss und Bausan, Int Koll, Esslingen, 1983.
17. Betonabtrag durch chemisch angreifende saure Wässer
18. Betonabtrag durch chemisch angreifende saure Wässer
19. Predicting the durability of Portland cement systems in aggressive environments — laboratory validation10.1016/j.cemconres.2004.03.029 ↗
20. Material and environmental parameter effects on the leaching of cement pastes: experiments and modelling10.1016/j.cemconres.2007.10.009 ↗
21. R.E. Beddoe, K. Schmidt, Effect of concrete composition on resistance of concrete to acid attack, in: Concrete in Aggressive Aqueous environments, M.G. Alexander, A. Bertron (Eds.), Proc Inter RILEM TC 211-PAE Final Conf, Toulouse, 2009, pp. 187–195.
22. Resistance of blended cement pastes to leaching in destilled water at ambient and higher temperatures
23. Combined molecular and conventional analysis of nitrifying bacterium diversity in activated sludge: Nitrosococcus mobilis and Nitrospira-like bacteria as dominant populations10.1128/AEM.64.8.3042-3051.1998 ↗
24. Microbial ecology of nitrifying bacteria in wastewater treatment process examined by fluorescence in situ hybridization10.1016/S1389-1723(00)80075-4 ↗
25. Quantification of Nitrosomonas oligotropha-like ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and Nitrospira spp. from full-scale wastewater treatment plants by competitive PCR10.1128/AEM.68.1.245-253.2002 ↗
26. Transport of oxygen through concrete
27. D. Kulik, GEMS-PSI 2.2, available at http://gems.web.psi.ch/, PSI-Villigen, Switzerland, 2007.
28. Thoenen · 2003
29. Hummel · 2002
30. Thermodynamic modeling of the effect of temperature on the hydration and porosity of Portland cement10.1016/j.cemconres.2007.08.017 ↗
31. Reactivity of blast-furnace slag in Portland cement blends hydrated under different conditions10.1016/S0008-8846(01)00587-7 ↗
32. Degrees of reaction of slag in some blends with Portland cements10.1016/0008-8846(95)00190-5 ↗
33. The effect of Al(OH)4− on the dissolution rate of quartz10.1016/j.gca.2005.09.017 ↗
34. The dissolution kinetics of quartz in sodium chloride solutions at 25 degrees to 300 degrees C10.2475/ajs.294.6.665 ↗
35. The permeability of Portland limestone cement concrete10.1016/S0008-8846(03)00092-9 ↗
36. The effect of clinker and limestone quality on the gas permeability, water absorption and pore structure of limestone cement concrete10.1016/S0958-9465(98)00037-7 ↗
37. The role of calcium carbonate in cement hydration10.1016/j.cemconres.2006.10.013 ↗
38. Using limestone aggregates and different cements for enhancing resistance of concrete to sulphuric acid attack10.1016/j.cemconres.2005.03.006 ↗
39. Chloride resistance of concrete and its binding capacity — comparison between experimental results and thermodynamic modeling10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2009.08.001 ↗
40. Characterisation and modelling of physico-chemical degradation of cement-based materials used in oil wells
41. Experimental and modeling indications for self-sealing of cementitious low- and intermediate-level waste repository by calcite precipitation10.13182/NT02-A3324 ↗
42. The effect of carbonated brine on well cement used in geologic formations
43. A. Leemann, B. Lothenbach, C. Hoffmann, S. Bischof, P. Lunk, Concrete corrosion in a wastewater plant. In: Concrete in Aggressive Aqueous environments, in: M.G. Alexander, A. Bertron (Eds), Proc Inter RILEM TC 211-PAE Final Conf, Toulouse, 2009, pp. 116–124.
44. Physiochemical equilibria of cement-based materials in aggressive environments — experiment and modeling10.1016/j.cemconres.2004.04.033 ↗
45. Computer simulation of the diffusivity of cement-based materials10.1007/BF01117921 ↗
46. Modelling the leaching of calcium hydroxide from cement paste: effects on pore space percolation and diffusivity10.1007/BF02472448 ↗
47. Resistance of self-consolidation concrete to sulfuric acid attack with consecutive pH reduction10.1016/j.cemconres.2007.04.014 ↗
48. E. Gruyaert, N. De Belie, P. Van den Heede, Acid resistance of concrete containing blast-furnace slag: influence of the pore structure and hydration process, in: Concrete in Aggressive Aqueous environments, M.G. Alexander, A. Bertron, (Eds.), Proc Inter RILEM TC 211-PAE Final Conf, Toulouse, 2009, pp. 389–396.
49. A. Leemann, B. Lothenbach, H. Siegrist, C. Hoffmann, Influence of water hardness on concrete surface deterioration caused by nitrifying biofilms in waste water treatment plants, Int. Biodeterior. Biodegrad, accepted.