September 2023 COLLABORATE TODAY. SUSTAIN TOMORROW.
PROACTIVE PAM USE: PROPER PLANNING FOR PAM ON NEW AND EXISTING CONSTRUCTION SITES
Submitted by Seva Iwinski Bray, President at Applied Polymer Systems
Benefits of PAM
Polyacrylamide (PAM) is the most commonly used flocculant for environmental water treatment applications. In the anionic form (aPAM) is widely used and accepted due to its high margin of environmental safety and effectiveness at removing challenging contaminants such as clays and metals. aPAM is an effective treatment used to stop erosion and prevent sediment from moving off site and contributing to turbidity in runoff water. PAM treatment can also be used to remove turbidity in the form of sediment, nutrients, and heavy metals from runoff water (both concentrated and sheet flow). While most conventional BMPs stop the bulk of sediment and can help remove sediment, they often do not have the ability to remove enough turbidity to meet discharge limits. The addition of PAM, and PAM treatment systems, allows the removal of turbidity of upwards of >95%, meeting turbidity discharge limits and ensuring sites remain in compliance.
Planning for PAM
Proper planning for effective PAM use ensures the best possible results on site. For most PAM applications there will be minimal adjustments
to existing BMPs and site infrastructure. When proactive planning is done, PAM is not a replacement for, but instead is often
an addition to, existing BMPs and applications. Necessary planning for effective PAM applications includes:
- Identify the need for PAM on site: clay soils, exposed soil, erosion, new or ongoing construction, turbid discharge seen or predicted.
- Ensure safe use of PAM: Anionic PAM is the safest type of PAM as it has a very high margin of safety and carries a negative charge and will not adhere to the gills of aquatic life. Positively charged chemicals such as chitosan, cationic PAM, and aluminum compounds are toxic to aquatic organisms. To ensure that you are selecting and using a safe aPAM technology, obtain or acquire the SDS of the product. If you still have questions or concerns regarding the type of PAM, or any associated toxicity, ask for a 3rd party certified toxicity study conducted in accordance with EPA standards that the product manufacturer should be able to provide.
- Soil test/sample analysis to ensure effective aPAM selection: To ensure you will meet discharge limits before application of aPAM a sample analysis (also known as performance test, jar test or tailgate test) should be completed. This is a simple test done in the field or in a lab that enables you to select the correct aPAM product for your project needs and to make sure the product selected will react with the sites specific soil and water.
- Selection of aPAM applications: There are many different types of applications that aPAM technologies and products can be utilized in to stop erosion and sedimentation at the source and ensure clarified water discharges off site. These applications include soil stabilization, hydroseeding, dust control, water clarification, BMP enhancement, and de-mucking to name a few.
aPAM Applications
There are many different aPAM applications that can be selected for a site depending on site needs. When selecting PAM applications to achieve desired results it is important to be trained in aPAM technologies and treatment applications to ensure that application and installation will be completed properly. Training is readily available through many avenues and even a few hours of training can make the difference between success and failure. If you have not used PAM before, you should contact your local dealer, distributor, or trusted E&SC professional or company who can assist in your aPAM application. Planning PAM applications ahead of a storm event can decrease erosion, improve water quality, and prevent turbid discharges that have environmental and economic impacts.
To expand your knowledge of flocculants, plan to register for the upcoming Northeast Regional IECA event in Freeport, ME hosted at the Hilton Garden Inn and attend Seva’s presentation on Advanced Polymer Applications on Mon.Nov.6th 10:20am-11:20am.
The conference is a great networking event to interact with industry leaders and earn professional development hours.
IECA NORTHEAST CHAPTER
*CHAPTER CONFERENCE NOV. 6TH-7TH, 2023.*