Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Electric potential and current distribution in contaminated porous building materials under electrokinetic desalination

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Materials and Structures Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Electrokinetic desalination is very useful method for the removal of salt ions from porous building materials. This study investigates the influence of electric potential, electric current and pH distribution on the electrokinetic desalination of sodium chloride contaminated specimens of fired clay brick and sandstone. The measurements show that the ingress of acidic and alkaline fronts in the porous materials affects the removal of salt ions by diminishing the effect of electric field and electric current intensities. To suppress pH changes, poultices composed of kaolin clay with and without addition of buffering agents are investigated. The effective suppression of pH changes by the addition buffering agents in poultice enhanced the removal efficiency of both the Na+ and Cl− ions from both the fired clay brick and sandstone specimens. In order to keep the specimen in good electrical contact with poultice and electrodes, the drying of poultices was avoided by inserting wet sponges in contact with large water reservoirs in the electrodes compartments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Segall BA, Bruell CJ (1992) Electroosmotic contaminant-removal processes. J Environ Eng 118:84–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Ottosen LM, Pedersen AJ, Rörig-Dalgaard I (2007) Salt-related problems in brick masonry and electrokinetic removal of salts. J Build Apprais 3:181–194. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jba.2950074

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Feijoo J, Ottosen LM, Pozo-Antonio JS (2015) Influence of the properties of granite and sandstone in the desalination process by electrokinetic technique. Electrochim Acta 181:280–287. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2015.06.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Toumi A, François R, Alvarado O (2007) Experimental and numerical study of electrochemical chloride removal from brick and concrete specimens. J Cem Concr Res 37:54–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2006.09.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Ottosen LM, Christensen IV, Rörig-Dalgaard I, Jensen PE, Hansen HK (2008) Utilization of electromigration in civil and environmental engineering—processes, transport rates and matrix changes. J Environ Sci Heal Part A 43:795–809

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Cameselle C, Pena A (2016) Enhanced electromigration and electro-osmosis for the remediation of an agricultural soil contaminated with multiple heavy metals. J Process Saf Environ Prot 104:209–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2016.09.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Virkutyte J, Sillanpää M, Latostenmaa P (2002) Electrokinetic soil remediation—critical overview. J Sci Total Environ 289:97–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Acar YB, Alshawabkeh AN (1993) Principles of electrokinetic remediation. J Environ Sci Technol 27:2638–2647

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Ottosen LM, Christensen IV, Rörig-dalgaard I (2012) Electrochemical desalination of salt infected limestone masonry of a historic warehouse. In: Proceedings structural faults and repair, Edinburgh, Scotland, July 2012, pp 4

  10. Ottosen LM, Christensen IV (2012) Electrokinetic desalination of sandstones for NaCl removal - Test of different clay poultices at the electrodes. Electrochim Acta 86:192–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2012.06.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Castellote M, Andrade C, Alonso C (2000) Electrochemical removal of chlorides: modelling of the extraction, resulting profiles and determination of the efficient time of treatment. Cem Concr Res 30:615–621

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Feijoo J, Nóvoa XR, Rivas T, Mosquera MJ, Taboada J, Montojo C, Carrera F (2013) Granite desalination using electromigration. Influence of type of granite and saline contaminant. J Cult Herit 14:365–376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2012.09.004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Kamran K, van Soestbergen M, Pel L (2013) Electrokinetic salt removal from porous building materials using ion exchange membranes. Transp Porous Media 96:221–235. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-012-0083-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Paz-Garcia JM, Johannesson B, Ottosen LM, Ribeiro AB, Rodríguez-Maroto JM (2013) Simulation-based analysis of the differences in the removal rate of chlorides, nitrates and sulfates by electrokinetic desalination treatments. Electrochim Acta 89:436–444

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Rörig-Dalgaard I (2013) Development of a poultice for electrochemical desalination of porous building materials: desalination effect and pH changes. J Mater Struct 46:959–970. https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-012-9946-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Rörig-Dalgaard I (2015) Further developments of a poultice for electrochemical desalination of porous building materials: minimization of side effects. J Mater Struct 48:1901–1917

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Voronina V, Pel L, Kopinga K (2014) Effect of osmotic pressure on salt extraction by a poultice. J Constr Build Mater. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2013.10.071

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Feijoo J, Nóvoa XR, Rivas T, Ottosen LM (2018) Enhancing the efficiency of electrochemical desalination of stones: a proton pump approach. J Mater Struct 51:100. https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-018-1224-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Pedersen KB, Jensen PE, Ottosen LM, Barlindhaug J (2018) Influence of electrode placement for mobilising and removing metals during electrodialytic remediation of metals from shooting range soil. Chemosphere 210:683–691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.07.063

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Sutcu M, Del Coz Díaz JJ, Álvarez Rabanal FP, Gencel O, Akkurt S (2014) Thermal performance optimization of hollow clay bricks made up of paper waste. J Energy Build 75:96–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2014.02.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Osterreichisches Normungsinstitut (1999) ONORM B 3355–1 Trockenlegung von feuchten Mauerwerk Bau werksdiagnostik und Planungsgrundlagen

  22. Rörig-Dalgaard I (2009) Preservation of murals with electrokinetic with focus on desalination of single bricks. PhD thesis. Technical University of Denmark. DTU Civil Engineering Report R-202 (UK)

  23. Ottosen LM, Rörig -Dalgaard I, (2007) Electrokinetic removal of Ca(NO3)2 from bricks to avoid salt-induced decay. Electrochim Acta 52:3454–3463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2006.03.118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Rörig-Dalgaard I (2009) Preservation of masonry with electrokinetics with focus on desalination of murals. PhD thesis. Technical University of Denmark

  25. Ottosen LM, Hansen HK, Ribeiro AB, Villumsen A (2001) Removal of Cu, Pb and Zn in an applied electric field in calcareous and non-calcareous soils. J Hazard Mater 85:291–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3894(01)00231-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Kamran K, Van Soestbergen M, Huinink HP, Pel L (2012) Inhibition of electrokinetic ion transport in porous materials due to potential drops induced by electrolysis. Electrochim Acta 78:229–235

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Salem HS, Chilingarian GV (2000) Physical and mathematical aspects of tortuosity in regard to the fluid flow and electric current conduction in porous media: Example of the Hibernia and Terra Nova reservoirs, off the eastern coast of Canada. Energy Sources 22:137–145. https://doi.org/10.1080/00908310050014117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Kamran K, Pel L, Sawdy A, Huinink H, Kopinga K (2012) Desalination of porous building materials by electrokinetics: an NMR study. J Mater Struct 45:297–308. https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-011-9766-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ottosen LM, Rorig-Dalgaard I (2006) Drying brick masonry by electro-osmosis. In: Proceedings from the seventh international masonry conference, 31, CD-romy London, UK

  30. Laidler KJ, Meiser JH, Sanctuary BC (2003) Physical chemistry, 4th edn. Houhton Mifflin Company, Boston, pp 285–287

    Google Scholar 

  31. Matyščák O, Ottosen LM, Rörig-Dalgaard I (2014) Desalination of salt damaged Obernkirchen sandstone by an applied DC field. J Comput Chem Eng 71:561–569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.08.051

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Ottosen LM, Christensen IV (2012) Electrokinetic desalination of sandstones for NaCl removal—test of different clay poultices at the electrodes. Electrochim Acta 86:192–202

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    M. Ishaq, K. Kamran & Y. Jamil

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    R. A. Sarfraz

Authors
  1. M. Ishaq
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. Kamran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Y. Jamil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. A. Sarfraz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K. Kamran.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ishaq, M., Kamran, K., Jamil, Y. et al. Electric potential and current distribution in contaminated porous building materials under electrokinetic desalination. Mater Struct 54, 175 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-021-01770-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-021-01770-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation