Repurposing spent filter sand from iron and manganese removal systems as an adsorbent for treating arsenic contaminated drinking water

Malcolm Watson; Jasmina Nikić; Aleksandra Tubić; Marijana Kragulj Isakovski; Marko Šolić; Božo Dalmacija; Jasmina Agbaba

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114115

Repurposing spent filter sand from iron and manganese removal systems as an adsorbent for treating arsenic contaminated drinking water

J Environ Manage. 2022 Jan 15;302(Pt B):114115. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114115. Epub 2021 Nov 17.

Authors

Malcolm Watson¹, Jasmina Nikić², Aleksandra Tubić³, Marijana Kragulj Isakovski⁴, Marko Šolić⁵, Božo Dalmacija⁶, Jasmina Agbaba⁷

Affiliations

¹ University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia. Electronic address: malcolm.watson@dh.uns.ac.rs.
² University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia. Electronic address: jasmina.nikic@dh.uns.ac.rs.
³ University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia. Electronic address: aleksandra.tubic@dh.uns.ac.rs.
⁴ University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia. Electronic address: marijana.kragulj@dh.uns.ac.rs.
⁵ University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia. Electronic address: marko.solic@dh.uns.ac.rs.
⁶ University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia. Electronic address: bozo.dalmacija@dh.uns.ac.rs.
⁷ University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 3, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia. Electronic address: jasmina.agbaba@dh.uns.ac.rs.

PMID: 34800773
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114115

Abstract

Waterworks which utilise river bank filtration water sources often have to apply aeration and sand filtration to remove iron and manganese during the drinking water treatment process. After some time, the sand becomes saturated and the spent filter sand (SFS) must be disposed of and replaced. In order to valorize this waste stream, this paper investigates the reuse of SFS as an adsorbent for the treatment of arsenic contaminated drinking water. The arsenic removal performance of SFS is compared with two synthetic iron oxide coated sands (IOCS). The sorbents were first characterized by SEM, EDS, BET specific surface area, and point of zero charge (pHpzc) measurements, and then investigated under a variety of conditions. The surface of the SFS was revealed to be coated with iron manganese binary oxide. The Freundlich model best described the isotherm experiment data, indicating a non monolayer adsorption model for arsenic adsorption on the three IOCS investigated. As(III) and As(V) removals were negatively effected by the presence of PO₄^3- and HA anions as they competed with the arsenic species for adsorption sites. However, given the status of SFS as a waste material, the results obtained in this paper suggest it may be successfully reused as a very economically and environmentally sustainable solution for small waterworks requiring both As(V) and As(III) removal during drinking water treatment.

Keywords: Arsenic adsorption; Drinking water; Spent filter sand; Waste reuse.

MeSH terms

Arsenic* / analysis
Drinking Water*
Iron
Manganese
Sand
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Drinking Water
Sand
Water Pollutants, Chemical
Manganese
Iron
Arsenic