Environmental protection of railway wastewater using natural diatomite sorbents: development and validation of a three-layer filtration strip

The study evaluates the efficiency of a natural diatomite-based sorbent, Diamiks Aqua, for removing petroleum hydrocarbons and suspended solids from railway wastewater. Laboratory tests using a vertical filtration column (0.5 m/h, 30 min contact time) demonstrated up to 98.9 % removal of suspended solids and 99.0 % of petroleum products. A three-layer filtration strip, integrated into railway embankments, provides a reagent-free and energy-efficient treatment process. The proposed design ensures reliable protection of water bodies from diffuse hydrocarbon runoff and contributes to the environmental sustainability of railway transport enterprises.