Effects of Diatomite on the Physiological and Purification Performance of Diatomite-Zeolite Vegetation Concrete

Abstract

Vegetation concrete is a new type of slope protection material that well combines engineering protection and ecological restoration. In order to study the effect of diatomite content on the compressive strength, porosity, and pH value of diatomite-zeolite vegetation concrete (DZVC), the physiological properties of DZVC were discussed through the analysis of the height of alfalfa and tall fescue. Through this test and the analysis of heavy metal ions (nickel, cadmium, copper, zinc, lead), total nitrigen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), turbidity, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate in water before and after water purification, this paper discussed the water purification performance of DZVC. The results show that when the content of diatomite is 15%, the 28 day compressive strength of DZVC is 3.7 MPa, its porosity is 27.27%, and its pH is 10.51. Compared with alfalfa, tall fescue grows for 60 days, and the plant height can reach 210 mm, which is more suitable for growing in DZVC. DZVC’s removal rates for heavy metal ions (nickel, cadmium, copper, zinc, and lead) in water were 25.56%, 15.14%, 23.05%, 19.83%, and 22.94%, respectively, of which the nickel removal rate was the highest. Its removal rates for TN, TP, turbidity, and COD were 19.96%, 21.93%, 33.67%, and 43.48%, respectively, of which the COD removal effect was the highest. Vegetation concrete is a new type of slope protection material that well-combines engineering protection and ecological restoration. In this study, a diatomite-zeolite vegetation concrete was constructed and the effects of the diatomite on the physiological and purification performance of the concrete were studied. A diatomite content of 15% met the physical and mechanical property requirements of zeolite vegetation concrete and served as a good base for the vegetation, while effectively reducing the concentration of heavy metal ions in wastewater. As such, the study shows that adding diatomite can significantly improve the water purification performance of zeolite vegetation concrete. The results provide data and a theoretical basis for the application of diatomite in zeolite vegetation concrete. Diatomite-zeolite vegetation concrete has a broad application prospect in ecological engineering.