What is Arsenic?
Arsenic is classified as a heavy metal in water and wastewater treatment. It is known for its toxicity, and when taken in sufficient amounts, it can cause many health problems in humans. Arsenic can affect not only the skin, liver, kidneys, bladder and prostate, but also the nervous system, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, immune system and endocrine system. Due to the many health risks associated with arsenic, the USEPA has set a drinking water standard of 10 ppb as the maximum permissible concentration in drinking water. Therefore, this is the goal of all purification systems for removing arsenic from water.
Can electro-coagulation help in arsenic removal?
Frequently occurring arsenic in groundwater is mainly present in two oxidizing states, arsenide {As (III) and arsenic As (V)}.
Of the two, (III) is the most toxic and unfortunately highly soluble, making it difficult to remove. Iron has proven to be the most effective medium, if not all, for most removal methods.
Several methods of removal include ion exchange, reverse osmosis (RO), oxidation, and one of the most common methods, coagulation. Improving the success of coagulation is its electrochemical counterpart, electro coagulation (EC).
Below,we discuss the advantages of electro coagulation for removing arsenic from water-
A: Improved As (III) Removal
In other treatments, As (III) removal is usually problematic because it is much more soluble than the As (V) counterpart. In EC, an unknown reaction mechanism allows As (III) to coagulate and precipitate well and be sufficiently removed by just one process. As (V) EC removal is similar to coagulation and other treatments in that it is fairly efficient, but its high As (III) removal rate sets it apart from other treatments.
The oxidation of As (III) to As (V) is intentionally performed before other treatment methods, but may not be necessary before the EC step. Regardless of whether the theory is correct, studies (like this research study) show that the removal rate of As (III) with EC treatment alone is higher than with other treatments without previous oxidation processes.
Therefore, if the removal rate of As (III) by this single procedure is high enough based on the analysis of the experimental results of the water quality test, it may not require an oxidation step before EC.
If no oxidation step is required before EC, the entire removal process can be much faster. In addition, some oxidation processes can take much longer, further increasing the reaction time required for proper processing. Optimized power to the electrodes means that arsenic EC can be removed in less than an hour, and additional oxidants may be introduced prior to the process to reduce reaction time.
B:Cost Reduction
Other treatments for arsenic can be complex and costly, providing a safe system for human consumption of drinking water to economically stable communities. On the other hand, the EC system has a low life cycle cost and is relatively easy to use. These systems are easy to install, clean, and maintain. The main costs associated with EC are electrode replacement, pH regulators, and electricity bills if the electrodes are excessively corroded. Fortunately, iron electrodes and pH chemicals are usually readily available at relatively low cost.
Conclusion
Removing arsenic from drinking water is paramount to the health and safety of people around the world. The old method works, but the other method can be simpler, faster, more efficient, and have lower lifecycle costs.
Netsol Water is committed to helping their customers find the most efficient and cost-effective solutions for dealing with major water pollutants. Therefore, the prevention of productivity loss due to mineral, organic or inorganic impurity problems can be weakened or eliminated.
Netsol Water is Greater Noida-based leading water & wastewater treatment plant manufacturer. We are industry's most demanding company based on client review and work quality. We are known as best commercial RO plant manufacturers, industrial RO plant manufacturer, sewage treatment plant manufacturer, Water Softener Plant Manufacturers and effluent treatment plant manufacturers. Apart from this 24x7 customer support is our USP. Call on +91-9650608473, or write us at enquiry@netsolwater.com for any support, inquiry or product-purchase related query.
