Arsenic Removal Efficiency in Aqueous Solutions Using Reverse Osmosis and Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Former Graduate Student of Irrigatioin and Drainage Engineering, Mohagheghe Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran

2 Assist. Prof., Department of Water Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabili, Iran

3 Assoc. Prof., Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mohaghegh Ardabili University, Ardabil, Iran

Abstract

Arsenic is one of the most hazardous pollutants of water resources which threaten human health as well as animals. Therefore arsenic removal from water resources is the priority of health programs. There are several ways to remove arsenic. In this study, reverse osmosis and zero-valent iron nanoparticles methods have been used in a laboratory scale. To perform the test, the variables of temperature, arsenic concentration, pH, iron nanoparticle concentration and mixing time were considered. The results indicated that in both methods of reverse osmosis and iron nanoparticle, through increasing arsenic concentration, arsenic removal efficiency has been also increased. At concentration of 1.5 mg per litre in reverse osmosis method, the maximum efficiency was achieved by 98% and 95.2% removal of arsenic respectively. The effect of temperature and pH were similar in reverse osmosis; by increasing these two variables, arsenic removal percentage also increased. The highest removal rates of 95.98% and 95.56% were observed at pH 9 and Temperature 30oC respectively. The results indicated that in iron nanoparticles method the arsenic removal efficiency increases by increasing mixing time and temperature, while it decreases with increasing pH.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Brandhuber, P.H. & Amy, G., 1998, "Alternative methods for membrane filtration of arsenic from drinking water", Journal of Desalination, 117, 1-10.
Chang, F.F., Liu, W.J. & Wang, X.M., 2014, "Comparison of polyamide nanofiltration and low-pressure reverse osmosis membranes on As (III) rejection under various operational conditions", Journal of Desalination, 334, 10-16.
Cornejo, L., Lienqueo, H., Arenas, M., Acarapi, J., Contreras, D., Yanez, J. & Mansilla, H.D., 2008, "In field arsenic removal from natural water by zero-valent iron assisted by solar radiation", Journal of Environmental Pollution, 156, 827-831.
Dambies, L., Vincent, T.H. & Guibal, E., 2002, "Treatment of arsenic-containing solutions using chitosan derivatives: uptake mechanism and sorption performance", Journal of Water Research, 36, 3699-3710.
Geucke, T., Deowan, S.A., Hoinkis, J. & Patzold, C.H., 2009, "Performance of a small-scale RO desalinator for arsenic removal", Journal of Desalination, 239, 198-206.
Greenlee, L.F., 2009, "Reverse osmosis desalination: Water sources, technology, and today's challenges", Journal of Water Research, 43, 2317-2348.
Footemi, M., Kholghi, M., Hoorfar, A.H. & Haghshenas, D., 2012, "Laboratory study on arsenic removal effect of iron nanoparticles in aqueous media", Journal of Environmental, 39(4), 149-156.
Kanel, S.R., Grenache, J.M. & Choi, H., 2006, "Arsenic (V) removal from groundwater using nano scale zero-valent iron as a colloidal reactive barrier material", Journal of Environ Science of Technology, 40, 2045-2050.
Kanel, S.R., Manning, B., Charlet, L. & Choi, H. 2009. "Removal of arsenic(III) from groundwater by nanoscale zero-valent iron", Journal of Environmental Science & Technology, 39, 1291-1298.
Konstantina, T., Elpida, P. & Nikolaos, P.N., 2007, "Modeling of arsenic immobilization by zero valent iron", Journal of Soil Biology European, 43, 356-367.
Konstantina, T., Nikolaos, P., Nikolaos, V., Nikolaos, K. & Pavlos, E., 2006, "Arsenic removal from geothermal water with zero-valent iron-Effect of temperature, phosphate and nitrate", Journal of Water Research, 40, 2375-2386.
Koohpayezadeh, H., Torabian, A., Nabibidhendi, G.R. & Habashi, N., 2012, "The effects of zero-valent iron nanoparticles on pentavalent arsenic removal from drinking water", Journal of Water and Wastewater, Vol. 23 No. 3 (83), 60-67. (In Persian)
Li, X.Q., Elliott, D.W. & Zhang, W.X., 2006, "Zero-valent iron nanoparticles for abatement of environmental pollutants: Materials and engineering aspects", Critical Reviews in Solid State and Materials Science, 31, 111-112.
Lin, T.F., Hsiao, H.C. & Wu, J.K., 2002, "Removal of arsenic from groundwater using POU RO and distilling devices", Journal of Environmental Technology, 23, 781-790.
Nicolai Sen, B., 2002, "Developments in membrane technology for water treatment", Journal of Desalination, 153, 355-360.
Peterson, P.J., Benson, L.M. & Zeive, R., 1981, "Arsenic and effect of heavy pollution on plants", Journal of Science, 1, 192-199.
Pire, T. & Golestani, H., 2011, "The production of zero-valent iron nanoparticles and evaluate its performance in removal of arsenate and arsenite from water environments", 5th National Conference and Exhibition of Environmental Engineering, Tehran. (In Persian)
Rahmani, A.R., Ghafari, H.R., Samady, M.T. & Zarabi, M., 2008, "Synthesized zero valent iron nanoparticles and study its effectiveness in removing arsenic fom water environments", Journal of Water and Wastewater, Vol. 22 No. 1 (77), 41-35. (In Persian)
Sharma, B. & Bose, P., 2006, "Arsenic sequestration by metallic iron under strongly reducing conditions", Journal of Current Science, 91, 204-208.
Shih, M.C., 2005, "An overview of arsenic removal by pressure-driven membrane processes", Journal of Desalination, 172, 85-97.
Smedley, P.L. & Kinniburgh, D.G., 2002, "A review of the source, behavior and distribution of arsenic in natural water", Appl. Geochem., 17,  517-568.
Tyrovola, K., Nikolaidis, N.P., Veranis, N.S., Kallithrakas-Kontos, N. & Koulouridakis, P.E., 2006, "Arsenic removal from geothermal waters with zero-valent iron effects of temperature, phosphate and nitrate", Journal of Water Research, 40, 2375-2386.
Viraraghava, T., Subramania, K.S. & Aruldos, J.A., 1999, "Arsenic in drinking water. Problems and solutions", Journal of Water Science Technology, 40, 69-76.
 Zhang, T.C., 2009, "Nanotechnologies for water environmental applications", Committee of the Environment Council, Environment and Water Resource Institute (EWRI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers, 628.