Impact of phosphate, silicate and natural organic matter on the size of Fe(III) precipitates and arsenate co-precipitation efficiency in calcium containing water

Arslan Ahmad*, Sam Rutten, Martijn Eikelboom, Luuk de Waal, Harry Bruning, Prosun Bhattacharya, Albert van der Wal

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

45 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Removal of arsenic (As) from water by co-precipitation with Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides is a widely used technique in water treatment. Nevertheless, As removal efficiency appears to be sensitive to the composition of the water matrix. The aim of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the independent and combined effects of silicate (Si), phosphate (P), natural organic matter (NOM) and calcium (Ca) on arsenate [As(V)] co-precipitation efficiency and the size of Fe(III) precipitates. We found that, in complex solutions, containing multiple solutes and high levels of Ca, (variations in) Si and P concentrations reduce As(V) removal to some extent, mainly due to a decreased adsorption of As(V) onto Fe(III) precipitates. On the other hand, NOM concentrations reduced As(V) removal to a much greater extent, due to possible formation of mobile Fe(III)–NOM complexes that were difficult to remove by filtration. These findings have a great significance for predicting As(V) removal as a function of seasonal and process-related water quality changes at water treatment plants.

Original languageEnglish
Article number116117
JournalSeparation and Purification Technology
Volume235
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 18 Mar 2020

Keywords

  • Arsenic removal
  • Drinking water
  • Ferric chloride (FeCl)
  • Groundwater treatment
  • Natural organic matter (NOM)

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Impact of phosphate, silicate and natural organic matter on the size of Fe(III) precipitates and arsenate co-precipitation efficiency in calcium containing water'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this