Arsenic Removal From Water: An Overview of Recent Technologies

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Arsenic Removal from Water: An Overview of Recent Technologies
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Arsenic Removal from Water:
An Overview of Recent Technologies
Sadiya Anjum1, Deepti Gautam2, Bhuvanesh Gupta3 and Saiqa Ikram4
Arsenic is the most hazardous element in the chemical world and its presence in
drinking water can cause disaster. Millions of people worldwide do not have access to
clean water. This problem is especially severe in rural communities where expensive
water treatment techniques are not affordable. Arsenic exists in organic as well as
inorganic forms with varying valence states, i.e., As(III), As(V) and As(0). The valence
state of arsenic plays an important role in its behavior and toxicity in aqueous system.
Chronic arsenic exposure has devastating health effects, viz, cardiovascular diseases,
cancer and the eventual death. Many methods of arsenic removal have been studied,
but most of these are too expensive and impractical to be implemented in poor countries
such as Bangladesh and India. Every available process has its own limitations and it
can serve to a limited extent only. Since every technique has its own pros and cons,
one has to choose the technique according to the situation of the problem and the
process implemented should be site-specific. This paper is a succinct overview of
arsenic removal through different treatment technologies.
Keywords: Arsenic, Environment, Disaster, Valence states, Aqueous system, Treatment

technologies
Introduction
It is almost a decade since arsenic poisoning has come to be known as the worldwide
problem of high priority. In areas where drinking water contains high levels of arsenic, the
immediate concern is to find a safe source of drinking water or to purify the source of
drinking water. In either case, the water supplied must be free not only from harmful
levels of arsenic, but also from bacteriological contamination and other chemical
contaminants. Drinking water has been found to be contaminated in most of the countries
ranging from USA and Europe to Asia.
Arsenic cannot be destroyed; it can only be transformed into different forms or

combined with other elements converting into insoluble compounds. Exposure to arsenic
1
Research Scholar, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia (Central University),
New Delhi 110025, India. E-mail: sadia2203@gmail.com
2
Research Scholar, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia (Central University),
New Delhi 110025, India. E-mail: Deepti.jmi@gmail.com
3
Professor, Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi 110016,
India. E-mail: bgupta@textile.iitd.ernet.in
4
Assistance Professor, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia (Central University),
New Delhi 110025, India; and is the corresponding author. E-mail: saiqa.ch@jmi.nic.in
Arsenic
© Removal
2009 IUP from Reserved.
. All Rights Water: An Overview of Recent Technologies 7
Author’s Copy
via drinking water, air and food has been reported worldwide. Arsenic in drinking water
is regularly increasing due to contamination from industrial operations and the over-
withdrawal of groundwater for irrigation. Insoluble forms of arsenic are Arsenate As(V)
and Arsenite As(III), which are predominantly present in ground water. Arsenic is a
metalloid having ideal properties for sinister uses, including lack of color, odor and taste,
which make it the most successful secret weapon. The evidence for carcinogenicity of
arsenic is very strong in humans, but weak in animals, a unique and different scenario that
is found for other carcinogens (Bissen and Frimmel, 2003). The most important source of
arsenic exposure is ingestion of drinking water, and the arsenic level is generally highest in
groundwater, especially where geochemical conditions are favorable for the dissolution of
arsenic (Pontius et al., 1994). Arsenic forms both organic and inorganic compounds and
the inorganic compounds are more toxic than the organic compounds. The toxicity of
arsenite, the trivalent inorganic species, is higher than the toxicity of arsenate, the
pentavalent species (Sorg and Logsdon, 1978; and Jain and Ali, 2000). The toxicity scale
of arsenic can be presented in decreasing order: arsine > inorganic As(III) > organic
As(III) > inorganic As(V) > organic As(V) > arsonium compounds and elemental arsenic
(Ferguson and Gavis, 1972).
Toxicity of arsenic depends on its redox potential, oxidation state speciation and pH.
Arsenite is more mobile in groundwater and 25-60 times more toxic than arsenate because
of its carcinogenic and non-biodegradable nature, and hence its existence for long time in
environment. Therefore, several researchers in many countries are trying to identify the
most feasible technologies for the removal of arsenic in particular situations. Arsenic in
water supplies causes chronic poisoning rather than acute poisoning; therefore, chronic
toxicity of arsenic is of main concern in the evaluation of health significance of arsenic in
drinking water (Ferguson and Gavis, 1972). Chronic arsenic poisoning leads to non-
specific symptoms, including chronic weakness, loss of reflexes, gastritis, anorexia, weight
loss and hair loss, and long-term exposure results in hyperpigmentation, cardiovascular
diseases, disturbance in nervous systems and circulatory disorders. Since the majority of
the people affected worldwide live in small communities, it makes sense to develop a
treatment technology tailored for small communities. Further more, remediation in
acceptable consumption levels of arsenic by the regulatory agencies is forcing water utilized
to identify and implement lost effective arsenic removal technologies.
Arsenic Chemistry
Arsenic is a hazardous brittle crystalline solid metalloid with atomic weight 74.9,
specific gravity 5.73, melting point 817 °C (at 28 atm), boiling point 613 °C and vapor
pressure 1 mm Hg at 372 °C. Arsenic (a metalloid or inorganic semiconductor) exists in
8 The IUP Journal of Chemistry, Vol. II, No. 3, 2009

Author’s Copy
three different allotropic forms. Arsenic is electroconducting, having electroconductivity
of 2.82  104 Sm–1 at 0 °C, which is a mere 4.19% of the electroconductivity of silver (Remy,
1956). It is found in different valence states of –3, 0, +3 [arsenite, As(III)] and +5 [arsenate,
As(V)] as well as exists in forms of both inorganic and organic compounds. Inorganic
compounds of arsenic include hydrides (e.g., arsine), halides, oxides, acids, and sulphides
which are hygroscopic in nature and readily soluble in water to form acidic solutions
(Kirk-Othmer, 1992; and Smedley and Kinniburgh, 2002). The dominant organic forms
found in water are methyl and dimethylarsenic compounds (Figure 1) (Hung et al. 2004).
Methylated arsenic species such as monomethylarsonous acid (MMA(III)),
monomethylarsonic acid (MMA(V)), dimethylarsonous acid (DMA(III)) and
dimethylarsonic acid (DMA(V)) can be formed through biomethylation by
microorganisms under favorable conditions (Cullen and Reimer, 1989; and Hasegava
et al., 2001).
Figure 1: Different Species of Arsenic Present in the Environment
–
O –
O
III
As V
HO As OH
OH OH O
Arsenite Arsenate
–
O –
O
III V
As HO As CH 3
HO CH 3 O
Methylarsenite Methylarsenate
–
O O
–
III V
As H3 C As CH 3
CH 3 CH 3 O
Dimethylarsenite Dimethylarsenate
Arsenic Removal from Water: An Overview of Recent Technologies 9

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Arsenic, at pKa value 9.2 (pH 6-7), exists in the form of arsenous acid (H3AsO3),
whereas at the pKa value of 2.7, 6.8, and 11.5, remains in the form of arsenic acid (H3AsO4),
–
which are similar to phosphoric acid. The conjugate base of arsenous acid, H2AsO3 is
always present in most part of groundwater (Figure 2) as different states of arsenic rely on
–
Figure 2: Concentrations of the As(III) Species H3AsO3 and H2AsO 3
at Different pH Values
100
H3AsO3 –
H2AsO 3
80
Conc. (%)
60
40
20
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
pH
Note: The shaded area is the pH range of most part of groundwater.
– 2–
Figure 3: Concentration of the As(V) Species H3AsO4, H3AsO 4, HAsO4
and AsO43– at Different pH Values
100
H3AsO4
3–
–
AsO 4
H3AsO 4 2–
HAsO
80 4
Conc. (%)
60
40
20
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
pH
Note: The shaded area is the pH range of most part of groundwater.

Author’s Copy
several geochemical factors such as pH conditions, reduction-oxidation reactions,
distribution of other ionic species, aquatic chemistry and microbial activity. The sum
–
of concentrations of H3AsO3 and H2AsO3 is termed arsenite, whereas concentration of
–
arsenic acid (H3AsO4) and its conjugate base H2AsO4 and HAsO 42– are denoted as As(V)
(Figure 3).
Arsenic Geochemistry
There have been a number of studies of arsenic in aquifers throughout the world. Previous
studies of the geochemistry of arsenic make a balance between the igneous rocks (arsenic
content about 2 ppm) (Dowling et al., 2002) and the sediments (arsenic content of 10 pp
min shale and deep-sea sediment, and 1.5 ppmin sandstone and limestone) (Onishi and
Sandell, 1955). The volume of the oceans is about 1.3  109 km3 and the total arsenic
content is about 2.7  109 metric ton (Judson, 1968), whereas arsenic in rivers has most
frequently been measured in the range of 0-10 ppb. The soluble arsenic transported in
rivers is 36  103 ton peryear (Meybeck, 1976), although the contribution of volcanism to
the arsenic cycle over geological time is large.
Arsenic Problem
Globally, up to 100 million people are at risk due to exposure to excessive levels of naturally
occurring arsenic through wellwater or groundwater. There are several countries where
arsenic exceeds the acceptable level in drinking water. High level of arsenic is found in a
natural lake in the Tianshan mountainous district of China. Cases of chronic arsenic
poisoning due to drinking water were diagnosed in 1981 (Lianfang and Jianghoung,
1994) in Iran (Mosaferi et al., 2003), whereas in Sri Lanka arsenic poisoning cases were
found with transverse white bands across fingernails (Mee’s lines) (Senanayake et al.,
1972). South-west coast of Taiwan, with a population of 140,000 (Yeh, 1963; Tseng et al.,
1969; and Thornton and Farago, 1997), and several districts of Pakistan were affected by
arsenic (joint report submitted by Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources and
United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) and National Water Quality Monitoring
Program (NWQMP) of Pakistan) (Tahir, 2000).
Many areas seriously affected by arsenic contamination were also reported in different
states of India. The largest contaminated area to be taken more seriously in terms of
arsenic remediation was the Bengal Delta Plain (BDP) and most part of the western belt
of India in south-east Asia (Datta and Kaul, 1976; Chakraborti et al., 1999; Pandey
et al., 1999; Govil et al., 2001; Gurunadha et al., 2001; and Pandey et al., 2006).

Author’s Copy
Arsenic Removal Technologies
Arsenic contamination of groundwater, hastened to emerge as a massive epidemic of arsenic
poisoning worldwide, has become an important issue and challenge for the world. At
present, the most important challenge for the engineers, scientists and even policy makers
is to find an immediate and safe alternative for drinking purpose in areas where drinking
water supply contains arsenic.
Various treatment technologies have been developed for arsenic removal from drinking
water (Table 1). Most of them are applicable at a commercial level, while the rest are used
in a minor scale. The commonly used technologies are classified as physical methods, i.e.,
ion-exchange, adsorption, electrochemical techniques and membrane process; chemical
processes, i.e., coagulation, sedimentation, filtration and precipitation; and biological
methods, i.e., bacterial removals and phytoremediation. Among all the cited methods,
the maximum are not efficient for arsenite removal due to its complex aqueous chemistry.
A few methods involve high costs and may not be affordable in rural areas and in poor
countries. Therefore, the success of any technology cannot be predicted until and unless
it fits into the rural circumstances. Proper technology development is only possible when
a partnership exists involving proper village level participation. Therefore, it is necessary
to develop an environmental-friendly and enduring technology for arsenic removal, which
is tailored for small communities.
Adsorption
Adsorption is one of the most effective methods to remove arsenic from the water. The
process of adsorption is the accumulation of material at an interface or the liquid/solid
boundary layer. Adsorption is a mass transfer process in which a substance is transferred
from the liquid phase to the surface of the solid and is bound through chemical or physical
forces. In process of adsorption, purification of water depends on big specific surface area
and high surface energy of the adsorbent. Strong adsorption ability depends on the
properties of the material which is being used as the adsorbent. The most commonly used
adsorbents are activated alumina, activated carbon, functional resin and metal oxide.
Activated Alumina (AA)

Activated alumina is a commercial adsorbent material. There is more literature on the use
of activated alumina for arsenic removal than other adsorbents. The principle is that the
soluble arsenic (AsO 43– and AsO 33–) in the water can be adsorbed on the surface of the
AA[am-Al(OH) 3] and occupies the aluminous octahedron crystal lattice sites
(Xiao et al., 2001). The maximum adsorptive capacity of AA is 5-24 (mg As adsorbed/g
media) at equilibrium arsenic concentrations of 0.05-0.2 ppm (Ghosh and Yuan, 1987;
and Jekel, 1994).

Table 1: Comparison of Different Arsenic Removal Technologies
Technologies Species Advantages Disadvantages References

Oxidation/Precipitation
Air oxidation As(V) Relatively simple used in-situ arsenic Mainly removes As(V); efficient Borho and Wilderer
removal. control of pH and oxidation step is (1996), Gihring et al.
needed. (2001), Dutta et al.
(2005), Zaw and
Emett (2002), Lee
Chemical oxidation No monitoring of breakthrough is Disposal problem of sludge; requires and Choi (2002)
required; relatively less costly; easy many chemicals; operation requires
to handle at minor level. training; not feasible at large-scale.
Coagulation
Alum coagulation As(V) Durable powder chemicals are Produces toxic sludge; low removal Ghosh et al. (2003),
available; relatively low capital cost of arsenite; pre-oxidation may be Amirtharajah and
Iron coagulation and simple in operation; effective required. O’Melia (1990),

over a wider range of pH. Hansen and Mateus
Author’s Copy
Lime softening (2006), Hansen et al.

Common chemicals are available; Sedimentation and filtration needed. (2006), Jiang and
Electrocoagulation more efficient than alum Graham (1998),
coagulation on weight basis. Panda et al. (1997),
Khan et al. (2002),
Both As(III) Chemicals are available Readjustment of pH is required. Benefield and
and As(V) commercially. Morgan (1990), Yuan
et al. (2006), Wang
Environment-friendly and cost- Removal only depends on the nature and Tang (2001),
effective method; removal does not of electrodes and not applicable at Kumar et al. (2004),
depend on different parameters. large-scale. Parga et al.(2005)
13
14
Table 1 (Cont.)
Sorption and Ion-Exchange Techniques

Activated alumina Both As(III) Relatively well-known and Needs replacement after four to five Mohan and Pittman
and As(V) commercially available. regeneration cycles; not standardized; (2007), Navarro and
produces toxic solid waste. Alguacil (2002),
Jubinka and
Iron coated sand and Cheap; no regeneration is required; High cost medium; high-tech
Low cost adsorbents remove both As(III) and As(V). operation and maintenance; Rajakovic (1992),
regeneration creates sludge. Daus et al. (2004),
Manju et al. (1998),
Ion-exchange resin Well-defined medium, capacity; pH Disposal problem; As(III) is difficult Singh et al. (1996),
independent; ion-specific resins to to remove; life of resins is not long. Yadava et al. (1988),
remove arsenic. Periniemi et al. (1994)
Membrane Techniques
Nanofiltration Both As(III) Well-defined and high-removal Very high capital and running cost; Han et al. (2002),
and As(V) efficiency. preconditioning; high water Weng et al. (2005),
Author’s Copy
but highly rejection. Gholami et al. (2006),

efficient Iqbal et al. (2007),
Reverse Osmosis for As(V) No toxic solid waste is produced; High-tech operation and Ning (2002),
applicable at large scale. maintenance. Ballinas et al. (2004),
Velizarov et al. (2004)
Composite Capable of removing species of Membrane fouling takes place.
membranes arsenic.
Electrodialysis Electrochemical membrane process; Not purely sufficient for As(III)

slight DC supply required. removal.
The IUP Journal of Chemistry, Vol. II, No. 3, 2009

Table 1 (Cont.)
Biological Methods
Phytoremediation Both As(III) Economic and acceptable. Not suitable for groundwater. Katsoyiannis et al.
and As(V) (2002), Gihring et al.
Bioremediation Economic and fast applicable at Not fully developed; requires skilled (2001),
commercial levels. operation. Tu et al. (2004),
Teemu et al. (2007)
Phytofiltration Promising technology, removal by Not particularly efficient, especially
the use of plants, rapidly translocates in temperate zone.
absorbed arsenic by roots and
shoots.
Commercial Scale Techniques
Solvent extraction As(V) Relatively simple in use at small Not a fully developed method for Iberhan and
level. both species of arsenic. Wisniewski (2003),
Thirunavukkarasu
Buckets Unit Good performance in both field and Requires costly chemicals; needs et al. (2005)
laboratory. periodical regeneration.

Author’s Copy
Read F unit No need for pretreatment; high Requires costly chemicals, not
selectivity at broad range. efficient for rural areas.
Indigenous Filters
Sono 3-Kolshi Filter Both As(III) No need to add any chemical; easily Harbors growth of microorganisms; Khan et al. (2000)
and As(V) handled at minor level. one time use unit; quickly clogged.
Granet Home-made No chemical is added to the system. Inadequate quantity of water and does
filter not show reliable result.
Shafi and Adarsh Good removal capacity. Quickly clogged filter media.
filters
15
16
Table 1 (Cont.)
Cartridge Filters
Chiyoda Arsenic Both As(III) Also used for the removal of other High cost method and not applicable Ahmed et al. (2001),
removal unit, Japan and As(V) particles. at rural areas. Zouboulis and
Katsoyiannis (2002)
Coolmart water Highly effective; inexpensive; easy Treated water easily contaminated
purifier, Korea to operate. with bacteria.
Traditional sand filters Remove pathogens; inexpensive Have iron nails, which when
and easily available. exposed with to air and water get
Household Arsenic rusted.
filter, All India.
Institute of Hygiene Modern method. It requires periodic sludge cleaning.
and. Public Health
(AIIH and PH), India
Polymeric Supports
Natural Polymers As(III) Easily available and used in rural Not fully developed. Dominguez et al.
Author’s Copy
areas. (2002), Vatutsina

et al. (2007)
Man-made Polymers As(III) An efficient technique; easily
chelates arsenic species from water.
best
Teoh,
For
systems.
at
reduction (Gupta
produces a slight
the influent water
pH 8 is optimum
or bicarbonate in
process than ion-

As(III) removal,
removal, while
Yuan, 1987). The
exhibits neutral
is considered a
pH values, (~5)
exchange for a
since the species
not suitable for
although this is
low
1985).
a much higher
shown to perform
drinking water
range of utility
silicate results in
and Ghosh and

and Chen, 1978;
when influent
presence of sulfate
For
alumina has been
removal, activated
values (Ghosh and
Activated alumina
As(V)
more cost-effective
sizes (44-4,400 L/s)

reduction in As(V)
charge at lower pH

Author’s Copy
water contains As < 0.005 ppm (Chen et al., 1999). A variety of water quality parameters
affect AA efficiency for arsenic removal from water (Table 2).
The disadvantages of the operation of AA systems include the requirement of hazardous

chemicals such as HCl and caustic soda to maintain proper pH and to regenerate the
media (Ghosh and Teoh, 1985; and Ghurye et al., 1999). Difficulties while loading AA in
a reactor have also been reported, requiring backwashing before use (Bates et al., 1998).
Activated Carbon
Activated carbon is frequently used either in granular or powdered form for arsenic
removal. Activated carbon was first reported in 1930 for water treatment in the US
(Mantell, 1968). Arsenic adsorption onto virgin activated carbon is minimal and
regeneration is also difficult, so it cannot be directly applied for arsenic treatment (Daus
et al., 2004; and Deng et al., 2005). Increase of arsenic absorption by activated carbon
could be achieved by its treatment with various metal compounds—impregnating iron
compound onto activated carbon (Huang and Vane, 1989; and Reed et al., 2000) and Zr
treatment of activated carbon. However, the latter was not suitable for drinking water
because of its toxic nature (Manju et al., 1998; and Birgit et al., 2004). The metal ion was
subjected to leak from the media in the process of backwashing due to which
contamination of water source was caused, leading to decrease in sorption capacity.
Metal Oxides
Metal oxides show strong adsorption capability due to their high surface area in comparison
to many inorganic ions; for example, several iron oxides, viz., amorphous hydrous ferric
oxide, crystalline hydrous ferric oxide (ferrihydrite), -FeOOH, hematite, magnetite and
goethite (Manning et al., 1998; Raven et al., 1998; Jackson and Miller, 2000; Jain and
Loeppert, 2000; and Goldberg, 2002) show better arsenate than arsenite removal.
The major properties which need to be improved for the relative higher adsorption of
arsenite (Lakshmipathiraj et al., 2006) by iron oxides are the robustness and mechanical
strength of the granular oxide. A combination of Mn and Fe oxides proves to be a suitable
adsorbent, as compared to Mn substituted iron oxyhydroxide (MIOH), which could
remove both arsenite and arsenate from aqueous solution with considerable efficiency.
Waste Products
Some iron oxides were coated with sand to remove the contamination in the water. It is a
low-cost operation for iron oxide coated sand beds and was adapted to the small equipment
and family usage. Liquid Phase of Red Mud (LPRM) (Altundogan et al., 2002), red mud

18
Table 2: Various Low-Cost Adsorbents for Arsenic Removal
Surface Temperature Removal
Adsorbent Conc. pH References
Area (m2g–1) (°C) Efficiency (%)
Iron oxide coated sand, 12 g L–1 As(III)-0.15 ppb 7.6 10.6 22  2 As(III) 82 Thirunavukkarasu et al.
As(V)-0.17 ppb As(V) 96 (2002)
IOC, 10 g L–1 1 ppb 3.5 – – 82 Thirunavukkarasu et al.

(2002)
Ferrihydrite (FH), 0.9 g L–1 325 ppb – 141 – As(V) 87 Gupta et al. (2005)
Granular Ferrihydrite (GFH) 1 ppb – – – 89 Badruzzaman et al. (2004)
Char carbon As(III)-0.1 ppb 2-3 36.48 25 As(III) 88 Pattanayak et al. (2000)
As(V)-157-737 ppb As(V) 95
Charcoal 1  10 –3 ppb 6-9 – – As(III) 12-18 Chuang et al. (2005)
Activated Bauxsol As(V)-4  10–3 ppb 4.5 130 23  1 As(V) 100 Fuhrman et al. (2004a)
Author’s Copy
Seawater-neutralized red mud 0.032 ppb 7.3 – 30 As(V) 82.6 Altandogan et al. (2002)
Activated Alumina (AA) 5  10 –3 ppb 7.6 370 25 As(V) 100 Singh et al. (2004)
AA, 2 g L–1 0.024 ppb 5 5.02 – As(V) 100 Singh et al. (2004)
MnO2 1  10 –3 ppb 7.9 17 25 As(V) 80 Ouvrard et al. (2002)
Geothite 0.06 ppb 9.0 39 22 As(III) 70 Lenoble et al. (2004)

As(V) 89
TiO2 0.5 ppb 7.0 330 25 As(V) 89 Pena et al. (2005)

Table 2 (Cont.)
Surface Temperature Removal
Adsorbent Conc. pH References
Area (m2g–1) (°C) Efficiency (%)
Activated Carbon (AC) 2 ppb 5.0 522 24 As(V) 2-100 Chuang et al. (2005)
produced from oat hulls
Iron(III) oxide-loaded melted 3 ppb 2.5 196 20 As(III) 95 Zhang and Itoh (2005)
slag
Untreated GAC 0.01-0.3 ppb 4.7 600-1,000 25 As(V) 60 Gu et al. (2005)
Zirconium-loaded activated 1 ppb – – 25 As(V) 80 Daus et al. (2004)

carbon
Activated alumina grains As(III) 4.9  10–3 ppb As(III) 7 116-118 25 As(III) 60 Lin and Wu (2001)
As(V) 2.85–11.5  10–3 ppb As(V) 5.2 As(V) 85
Coconut husk carbon 0.05-6 ppb 12.0 206 30 As(III) 50 Eguez and Cho (1987)
Coconut shell carbon 200 ppb 5.0 1,150-1,250 25 As(V) 90 Lorenzen et al. (1995)

with 3% ash
Author’s Copy
Orange juice residue 0.1 ppb As(III) 7-11 – 25 As(III) 46 Ghimire et al. (2002)
As(V) 2-6 As(V) 89
Pisolite 0.05 ppb 6.5 61.4 25 As(V) 80 Pereira et al. (2007)
Coconut coir pith 0.005-0.1 ppb 7.0 175 25 As(V) 78 Anirudhan and
Unnithan (2007)
Pine/oak wood char 10-100 ppb 3.5 2.73 25 As(III) 71 Mohan et al. (2007)
Rice husk 1  10 –3 ppb 4-5 – – 80 Nasir et al. (1998)
19
Author’s Copy
(Brunori et al., 2005) seawater-neutralized red mud (Bauxsol) (Fuhrman et al., 2003),
activated bauxsol (ferric sulfate or aluminum sulfate) and normal Bauxsol (Fuhrman
et al., 2004a) and chemically modified and activated Bauxsol (AB)-coated sand (Fuhrman
et al., 2004b and 2005), natural zeolites, volcanic stone; cactaceous powder (CACMM)
and clinoptilolite-containing rocks were all applied for arsenic removal. The adsorption
of As(V) from drinking water by an aluminum-loaded Shirasu-zeolite (Al-SZP1) has also
been reported at pH 3-10 (Elizalde-Gonz’ alez et al., 2001 and 2002; and Xu et al., 2002),
showing effective results.
In addition, some other industrial wastes were also used for arsenic removal showing
average removal efficiency, i.e., coated Fe(III) oxide onto melted incinerator slag (Zhang
and Itoh, 2005), pisolite waste material from Brazalian manganese ore mines (Pereira
et al., 2007).
Biological Methods
Of course, this newly developed method has enormous advantages over other techniques.
The classification of this category is based on the type of the organism involved, i.e.,
biological adsorbent (Table 3).
Bioremediation
There are two types of biological systems, which are currently in use for the removal of
arsenic from water. The first of these uses cultured bacteria to oxidize and precipitate iron
and manganese in water. The second method uses anaerobic, sulphate-reducing bacteria,
and other reducing bacteria to precipitate arsenic from solution as insoluble arsenic-
sulphide complexes. The performance of this technology depends on pH, available
nutrients and temperature, and removal efficiency is also sensitive to arsenic concentrations.
Chitosan, chitin, chitosan/chitin mixture and biomass from Rhizopus oryzae were
studied for removal of arsenic from contaminated drinking water (Elson et al., 1980; and
Mcafee et al., 2001). Dambies et al. (2000) further studied the sorption of As(V) on
molybdate-impregnated chitosan gel beads with an increased sorption capacity over raw
chitosan for As(V). Chitosan beads are also reported to remove As(III) and As(V) in both
batch and continuous process from water. The iron oxyhydroxide-loaded cellulose beads
for arsenate and arsenite removal from water also show maximum sorption (Guo and
Chen, 2005).
Fungi are used as biosorbents for arsenic removal. Dead fungal biomass P. chrysogenum
(Mycan), Lessonia nigrescens (an algae), Aspergillus niger (fungus) coated with iron
oxide, Penicillium purpurogenum were used for arsenic removal, and the pre-treatment

Table 3: Bioadsorbent Used for Arsenic Removal
Removal
Bioadsorbent Species Conc. pH References
Efficiency (%)
Rhizopus oryzae As(V) 0.4 ppb 4.0 – Macafee et al. (2001)
Water hyacinth As(V) – Ghimire et al. (2002)

Fungal biomass; FeCl3 treated biomass Both As(III) As(III)-1.3  10 –3 ppb 7.2 – Ghimire et al. (2003)
and As(V) As(V)-0.9  10 –3 ppb
Biomass As(V) 0.05-25 ppb 6.0 – Kamala et al. (2005)
Penicillium purpurogenum As(V) 0.01-0.75 ppb 5.0 – Ridvan et al. (2003)
Human hair A(V) 90-360 – – Wasiuddin et al. (2002)
P. chrysogenum As(III) 0.3 ppb 3.0 – Loukidou et al. (2003)
Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes L.) As(V) – – – Basuet al. (2003)
Water hyacinth root powder As(V) 10 ppb – 86.4 Misbahuddin and

Fariduddin (2002)
Author’s Copy
Pteris vittata ferns Both As(III) 50 ppb – 68 Tu et al. (2004)

and As(V)
Fern plant (Drpteris ramosa) As(III) 0.2-0.5 ppb 6 97 Srivastava et al. (2006)
Aceto bacteria; xylinum cellulose As(V) 100 ppb 7.0 90 Pokhrel and
Viraraghavan (2006)
Indigenous bacteria Both As(III) 60-80 ppb – 85 Zouboulis and
and As(V) Katasoyiannis (2002)
Lactobacillus casei As(V) 100 ppb 7 38.1  90 Teemu et al. (2007)
21
Author’s Copy
with hexadecyl-trimethyl
Leblance et al. (2002)
Kumari et al. (2005)

Kamala et al. (2005)
Vander and Synder,
Kostal et al. (2004)
ammonium bromide
Reference
Tu et al. (2004)
(HDTMA-Br) dodecylamine
Gadd (1988)
Sag (2001)
and a cationic polyelectrolyte
(2006)
was carried out to improve
arsenate biosorption
(Zouboulis and Katsoyiannis,
Efficiency (%)
Removal
2002; Loukidou et al.,

As(III) 27
As(III) 70
As(V) 31
As(V) 80
60-80
2003; Ridvan et al., 2003;

98
81
75
80
60
Hansen and Mateus, 2006;
Murugesan et al., 2006; and
Pokhrel and Viraraghavan,
pH
4-5
6-8
7.5
3
5
–
2006).
Phytoremediation
This is a new approach for

0.01-0.1 ppb
Table 3 (Cont.)
10-100 ppb
arsenic removal from

Conc.
0.01 ppb
400 ppb
100 ppb
1.6 ppb
groundwater and soil,

50 ppb
1 ppb
which involves two

different mechanisms. The
first utilizes plants to
Both As(III)
Both As(III)
Both As(III)
remove the arsenic ions and

and As(V)
and As(V)
and As(V)
Species
As(III)
As(III)
As(III)
As(III)
the second is biological

As(V)
treatment that utilizes

microorganisms. The
techniques are based on the
PVP treated Apergillus calvatus biomass
potential of certain plant

species to accumulate high
concentrations of arsenic in
Thiobacillus ferrooxidants
Bioadsorbent
Aspergillus niger coated
their aerial tissue. Poplar

Moringa oleifra seed
Eichhornia crassipes
cottonwood, sunflower,
Garcinia cambogia
with iron oxide
Pteris vittata L.
Escherichia coli
Indian mustard, maize,

grasses such as ryegrass
and prairie grasses and
hyper-accumulating ferns

Author’s Copy
(USEPA, 2002; and Visoottiviseth et al., 2002) are the plants which are currently used in
this process for arsenic removal from water.
Young plants of water lettuce, Garcinia combogia (indigenous plant), Pista stratiotes L.
(aquatic plant), water hyacinths (Eichhornia crassipes) and dried roots of water hyacinths
(harvested from a pollution free pond and hydroponically cultured) were used for the
simultaneous and rapid remediation of arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead from polluted
water at effective concentration (Misbahuddin and Fariduddin, 2002; Kamala et al., 2005;
and Shaban et al., 2005). Pteris vittata and P. cretica of the same age were recently used for
arsenic phytofiltration applicable at below new drinking water limit of 10 ppb (Huang
et al., 2004; and Srivastava et al., 2006).
Orange juice waste (contains cellulose, pectins, hemicellulose, chlorophyll pigments

and other low molecular weight compounds like limonene) residue and phosphorylated
cross-linked orange waste have been considered for arsenic removal (Ghimire et al., 2002
and 2003). Industrial waste autoclaved tea fungal mats and pretreated tea fungal by FeCl3
were used for As(III) and As(V) removal from groundwater samples collected
from Kolkata, West Bengal, India (Murugesan et al., 2006). Human hair has also been
applied to remove arsenic due to their ability to absorb arsenic from contaminated water
(Wasiuddin et al., 2002).
Coagulation
Coagulation is a process by which the physical or chemical properties of dissolved colloidal
or suspended matter are altered in a way to settle them out from the solution, for example,
agglomeration which can capture soluble arsenic, transforming it into an insoluble reaction
product (Edwards, 1994). Two main coagulants used for this purpose are aluminum salts
(also known as alum) and iron salts (Table 4).
In general, ferric chloride is more efficient than alum and removed As(V) more effectively
than As(III) (Sorg and Logsdon, 1974; Brewester, 1992; and Harper and Kingham, 1992;
and Cheng et al., 1994). This may be because some of the aluminum remains undissolved
and pass through the filtration step, while iron salts get completely dissolved from
particular iron hydroxide. The full-scale study of the coagulation process by using ferric
sulfate at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWDSC) achieved
high removal of over 95% (Scott et al., 1995). The orthophosphate and carbonate present
in the water affect the As(V) removal efficiency by FeCl3 (Meng et al., 2001). The enhanced
co-precipitation of arsenite was also reported by the coupling of FeCl3 with permanganate
as the coagulant (Liu et al., 2005). The removal efficiency increased from 41-75.4%. In the
same process, arsenic removal efficiency with ferrate as coagulant has been achieved by
98% at pH value 5-7 (Yuan et al., 2006).
24
Table 4: Coagulants Used for Arsenic Removal
Removal
Coagulant Species Conc. pH References
Efficiency (%)
4.9 mg L–1 FeCl3 As(V) 1,000 ppb 9 (higher than optimum) 45-60 Cheng et al. (1994)
–1
40 mg L Al2(SO4)3 As(V) 5 (lower than optimum) 60-80 Saha et al. (2001)
40 mg L–1 Al2(SO4)3 As(V) 8 (higher than optimum) 75-85 Saha et al. (2001)
FeCl 3 As(III) 15-65 Meng et al. (2001)
Ferric ions with coarse calcite As(V) 5  10 –3 ppb – 99 Yuan et al. (2006)
Ferric chloride As(V) 0.01-1 ppb 4-9 82-100 Liu et al. (2005)
Poly ferric ions As(V) 50 ppb 5.5 49-98 Jiang and Graham (1998)
Poly aluminum sulfate As(V) 50 ppb 5.5 89 Jiang and Graham (1998)
Aluminum salts Al2(SO4)3 As(III) 400 ppb – 80 Gulledge and
O’Connor (1973)
FeCl 3 As(V) 0.3  10 –3 ppb 6.8 40 Meng et al. (2000)
Author’s Copy
Lime softening jar tests Both As(III) 400 ppb 9.2-10.4 As(III) 75 Sorg and Logsdon (1974)
and As(V) As(V) 30 Wickramasinghe et al. (2004)
Fe, sulphates and carbonates As(V) 0.1 ppb 12 As(V) 76 McNeill and Edwards
(1997)
Softening with orthophospate As(V) 32 ppb 12 As(V) 80 Benefield and Morgan
(1990)
Lime softening treatment Both As(III) 0.1 ppb 11.5 ~90 Hering et al. (1997)
and As(V)
Lime softening with CaCO3 As(V) 0.3 ppb 12 100 Edwards (1994)

Author’s Copy
The main disadvantages of the coagulation method are the high dependence on pH
and the need to monitor the clarified tank to remove the produced colloidal arsenic. The
process is not highly efficient for arsenite removal, and the removal efficiency is dependent
on the constitutents present in water. At the same time, large quantities need to be supplied
and the volume of the sludge becomes huge and other matter gets introduced into the
water.
Lime Softening
In lime softening, slaked lime and soda ash are added to precipitate unwanted polyvalent
metallic ions. Arsenic removal may be facilitated by calcium carbonate, magnesium
hydroxide and iron hydroxide, and to a lesser extent, manganese hydroxide precipitates.
Removal rates may be increased significantly at high pH (10-12) by adding some iron to
the influent (McNeill and Edwards, 1997). Softening is attractive for the systems with
hard water and is a successful technology for achieving greater than 90% As(V) removal
(Table 4).
Initially, the jar test for lime softening was reported for the removal of arsenic. The test
used well water that contained 300 mg L–1 hardness as CaCO3 spiked with 0.4 ppm As(V).
The pH varied between 8.5 and 11.5. At pH 10.5 and above, nearly 100% As(V) removal
was obtained (McNeill and Edwards, 1997) with a 800 mg L–1 lime dose. A powdered
bituminous coal additive of 2 g L–1 has been shown to improve arsenic removal from 90%
to more than 94% in groundwater containing 0.7 ppm As(III) (Dutta and Chaudhuri,
1991).
Lime softening is a pH-dependent method. For maintaining the pH, different acids
and bases are added to water, producing large amount of toxic water. It also requires
the pre-treatment process as it is not applicable for As(III) removal.
Electrochemical Techniques
Electrocoagulation
The electrocoagulation process was first applied for drinking water on a large scale in the
US in 1946 (Twardowski, 1985). It is a simple, efficient and promising technique that does
not require the addition of any chemical. In this process, flocculating agent is generated
by electrooxidation on anode, which is made up of metal, generally iron or aluminum.
The major advantage of this method is that it has applicability for the removal of both
species of arsenic, i.e., arsenite and arsenate. Removal efficiency is highly dependent on
the current density, pH, conductivity, particle size, type of electrode, aqueous medium
chemistry and presence of air injection (Hansen et al., 2006).

Author’s Copy
Several researchers reported maximum arsenic removal (more than 99.6%) by aluminum
and iron electrodes, viz., using Fe-Fe electrodes (Parga et al., 2005; and Hansen et al.,
2006). In case of Al-Al electrodes, removal efficiency did not exceed 97.8% (Melitas et al.,
2002, and Masue et al., 2004). A system with the combined use of both aluminum and
iron in the same electrochemical cell has been published (Maldonado-Reyse et al., 2007).
Removal efficiency varied from 78.9% to more than 99.6% at different initial arsenic
concentrations (1.42-1230 ppm) at different pH ranges (4-10) and current density of 30
mA cm–2 (Balasubramanian and Madhavan, 2001) (Table 5).
It has been reported that the removal efficiency of both arsenic species with the help of
iron electrode forming amorphous iron oxide and hydroxide complexes was more than
90% at different pH values (2, 6.5, 11) and constant current of 0.5-30 µA (Kumar et al.,
2004; and Parga et al., 2005). Further, iron and aluminum were substituted by using
other promising electrodes like Cu, Pb, 316 L stainless steel and graphite, three-
dimensional carbon cathode, mercury electrode, and combination of aluminum and
titanium electrodes for this purpose (Kumar et al., 2004). While reticulated vitreous carbon
cathode has been reported for the removal of both species of arsenic from acidic and basic
solutions by liberating the product of the electrochemical reduction (Bejan and Bunce,
2003). This method is not fully developed and also not applicable at large-scale. There is
no evidence about regeneration.
Electrodialysis
Electrodialysis (ED) is a process in which ions are transferred through alternating cation
and anion exchange membranes arranged in a stack placed between opposite electrodes
that are selectively permeable towards cations or anions under the influence of direct
electric current. The ions travel from a lesser to a higher concentrated solution. Very few
procedures have been conducted to evaluate this process for the removal of arsenic (Clifford
and Lin, 1991).
The major disadvantage of this process is routine maintenance, which consists of

changing cartridge filters, calibrating and maintaining instruments, replacing membranes,
maintaining pumps and valves as well as replacing electrodes. The systems, however, are
typically more expensive than NF and RO systems (EPA, 1999).
Filtration Method
The conventional filtration process is the separation of solid particles from water (liquid
effluents) by passing the solution through a medium such as sand, activated carbon or
paper that retains the solid on its surface and allows the water to pass through. Red soil
(oxidized iron rich), clay minerals, iron ore, iron scrap or fillings and cellulose materials

Table 5: Electrodes Used in Electrolysis for Arsenic Removal
Current Removal
Electrodes Species Conc. pH References
Density Efficiency (%)
Zn, Cu-Zn, Cu, Fe As(V) 70-130 ppb 1.5-12 mA cm–2 – Fe 93, Zn 90 Hansen et al. (2006)
Cu-Zn(>73)
Cu (>67)
Iron Both As(III) 0.01 ppb 3.7-4.6 mA cm–2 6-9 Fe 95-99 Kumar et al. (2004)
and As(V)
Fe-Stainless Steel Both As(III) 10-50 ppb 0.5-30 A cm–2 2,6.5, 11 95 Parga et al. (2005)
and As(V)
Al and Fe As(III) 1 ppb 3-30 mA cm–2 4-10 Fe-Fe 99.6 Melitas et al. (2002)
Al-Fe 78-99,
Al-Al 97.8
Cu, Pb, Graphite, Both As(III) 0.04-0.057 ppb 18 A m–2 – Cu~95, Pb 60 Maldonado-Reyse et al.
316L Stainless Steel and As(V) 316 L steel 78 (2007)

Graphite 75
Author’s Copy
IrO2 and Ti Both As(III) 0.02-0.1 ppb 2.5, 5, 10.2 A m–2 1.9, 12.5 As(V) 83-94 Balasubramanian and
and As(V) As(III) 14-45 Madhavan (2001)
Aluminum As(III) 100 ppb 15.25 and 50 A m–2 7 >90 Masue et al. (2004)
–2
Graphite As(III) 0.01-0.02 ppb 200-800 mA m 4-9 80 Bejan and Bunce (2003)
Galvano Couple (Fe/C) Both As(III) 10 ppb 50-200 A m–2 – As(III) 95 Kumar et al. (2004)
and As(V) As(V) 99
Titanium As(V) 100 ppb 10 mA cm–2 6-8 60 Houlachi and Classens (1979)
3-D Carbon Cathode As(V) 100 ppb 50 mA m–2 4-10 90 Twardowski (1987)
27
Author’s Copy
cartridges (jute and cotton fibers containing) were used for arsenic removal. Filters can be
classified in various ways according to the hydraulic system (gravity, up-flow, etc.), rate of
filtration, type of granular medium used and/or by the location of particle accumulation
(e.g., cake filtration, depth filtration, etc.).
Several filters which are named after their investigators, for example, Bucket and filter
(Nikolaidis and Lackovic, 1998), Sono3-Kolshi filter (Khan et al., 2000), Garnet home-
made filter, Shafi and Adarsh filters (BAMWSP DIFD and Water Aid Bangladesh, 2000),
Chari filter, Bijoypur clay filter (Khair, 2000), Chiyoda, Coolmart Water and Kanchan
TM arsenic filter (Ahmed and Rahaman, 2000) are available at household and commercial
levels (Table 6). Some of the recent studies have shown the comparison of filter systems by
two different treatments; firstly, ozonation by introducing ozone in water followed by
filtration; secondly, plasma reactor treatment followed by filtration. Of the two, the second
has shown high efficiency.
Membrane Process
Several natural and synthetic membranes are likely to be used increasingly for arsenic
removal because it is easy to obtain, produce, operate and maintain them (Table 7). These
membranes have billions of pores or microscopic holes that act as selective barriers. The
structure of the membrane allows some constituents to pass through while others are
excluded.
Membrane filtrations are classified on the basis of applied pressure such as high driven
pressure (50 to 1,000 psi). Examples are Reverse Osmosis (RO) and Nano Filtration
(NF), while low-pressure membranes (5 to 100 psi) are Micro Filtration (MF) and Ultra
Filtration (UF).
Reverse Osmosis (RO) Membranes

RO membrane (cellulose acetate) was used for the removal of arsenic in the 1980s.
A number of RO membranes are used for this purpose at commercial level: TFC-ULP
RO membrane, DK2540F RO membrane, (Clifford et al., 1986; and Fox, 1989), ES-10
(polyamide) (Sato et al., 2002), NTR-729HF (Kang et al., 2000), and cellulose acetate
type membrane, HR3155 (Waypa et al., 1997). Among these membranes, TFC-ULP RO
membrane proved to be of low cost with good removal of arsenic.
Nano Filtration (NF) Membranes

NF membrane method is also a high-pressure process and is efficient in removing the
dissolved arsenic from water due to the small size of the membrane pores (EPA, 1999).
The commercially available NF membranes are: thin-film composite film Tec NF-70

Table 6: Filter Systems Used for Arsenic Removal
Filter System Species Conc. Removal Efficiency (%) References
Iron filing filter system Both As(III) and As(V) 0.1 ppb 95 Nikolaidis and
Lackovic (1998)
Bucket sand filter Both As(III) and As(V) 500 ppb 56-95 Wang and Tang (2001)
Two coloumn filter As(V) – – Wang and Tang (2001)
Sono3-Kolshi As(III) 0.073-1.170 ppb 90 Khan et al. (2000)
Coolmart water purifier As(V) 25 ppb – Ahmed and

Rahaman (2000)
Kanchan TM arsenic filter Both As(III) and As(V) 0.1 ppb 85-95 Ahmed and
Rahaman (2000)

Chiyoda arsenic removal unit Both As(III) and As(V) 300 ppb – Wang and Tang (2001)
Author’s Copy
Bijoypur clay and treated cellulose filter As(V) – – Khair (2000)
Garnet home-made filter Both As(III) and As(V) – – BCSIR (1999)
Household filter As(V) 280-600 ppb 75-93 Khan et al. (2000)
Laterite soil Both As(III) and As(V) 0.01 ppb 59-66 Khair (2000)
Soil filter As(III) 300 ppb 95 Nemade et al. (2008)
Bed active filter As(V) 41 ppb 76 Remembrance et al. (2006)
29
30
Table 7: Membranes Used for Arsenic Removal
Removal
Membranes Species Conc. Pressure pH References
Efficiency (%)
Cellulose acetate Both As(III) and 100 ppb 400 psi 6-8 As(III) 90 Ning (2002)
(RO membrane) As(V) As(V) 70
TFC-ULP RO membrane As(III) 60 ppb 560 psi – 99 Gholami et al. (2006)
NTR_729 HF(PVA) As(V) 0.1 ppb 206-1,200 psi 3-4 80 Kang and Tang (2000)
HR-3155 membrane Both As(III) ~0.1 ppb 689 psi – As(III) 55 Oh et al. (2000)
and As(V) As(V) 95
NF-70 membrane As(V) 10 ppb – – 97 EPA (1999)
NF-45 (porous polyamide Both As(III) and 100 ppb – 4-8 As(III) 45 Vrijenhoek and
thin film composite membrane) As(V) As(V) 90 Waypa (2000)
NTR-7250(PVA) As(III) 100-10 ppb 206-1,200 psi 7-10 50-60 Oh et al. (2004)
ES-10 membrane Both As(III) and 0.1 ppb 689-1,200 psi 3-10 As(III) 55 Ghurye et al. (1999)
Author’s Copy
As(V) As(V) 99
Pressure-driven membrane As(V) ~100 ppb 50-1,000 psi – –85 Han et al. (2002)
DK2540F, RO membrane Both As(III) and 0.1 ppb 1,000 psi 6.8 As(III) 5 Amy et al. (1998)
As(V) As(V) 90
TFCL-HR membrane Both As(III) and 60 ppb – – As(III) 60-85 Waypa et al. (1997)
As(V) As(V) 95
BQ01 (sulfonated polysulfone As(III) 100 ppb – 4-8 10 Seidel et al. (2001)
thin film composite membrane)

Author’s Copy
membrane (Waypa et al., 1997), porous
Fang et al. (2005)

Fang et al. (2005)
Amy et al. (1998)
Amy et al. (1998)
References
Pal et al. (2001)
Vrijenhoek and
polyamide thin-film composite membrane
Waypa (2000)
(NF-45) (Vrijenhoek and Waypa, 2000). Results
from the test indicate that the NF membrane is
able to achieve a removal efficiency of 45-90%
in cases of increasing arsenic concentration in
Removal Efficiency
As(III) 50, As(V) 90
the water.
Low-Pressure Membranes
(%)
65
60
95
90
80
Low-pressure membranes used for particle
removal (size 0.05 m and molecular weight
>50,000) include MF and UF. The arsenic
removal efficiency by the UF membrane is
4-10
pH
5-6
7
7
–
–
highly dependent on the size distribution of

arsenic particles in water (Pal et al., 2001). MF
Pressure
membranes are assisted by the processes such

100 psi
50 psi
–
–
–
as coagulation and flocculation to increase

Table 7 (Cont.)
arsenic particle size. Mixed ester of cellulose

acetate and cellulose nitrate, MF membrane
5-100 ppb
100 ppb
0.1 ppb
with pore size of 0.22 and 1.22 m combined

40 ppb
11 ppb
10 ppb
Conc.
with both ferric chloride and ferric sulfate and

cationic polymeric flocculants were used to
investigate the arsenic removal efficiency (Han
Both As(III) and As(V)
et al., 2002).
Species
UF processes are low-pressure techniques

and may not be used for arsenic removal due to
As(III)
As(III)
As(V)
As(V)
As(V)
the large pore size of the membrane and low

concentration range of arsenic present in water.
Polymeric Support
GM2540F UF membrane
Low-cost clay membrane

FV2540F UF membrane
Polymers with chemically active functional

Coagulated membrane
Membranes
Loose nano filtration
groups create a unique combination of

properties. Other fibrous properties of
polymers, viz., extremely high osmotic stability
MRT-1000
allowing their multiple drying and moistening

as well as conversion from one ionic form to
another without destruction of their filaments,

32
Table 8: Polymeric Material Used for Arsenic Removal
Removal
Resins Species Conc. pH References
Efficiency (%)
Monoclinic hydrous Both As(III) 1  10–3 ppb As(III) 9-10 As(III) 71 Suzuki et al. (2001)
zirconium oxide (Zr Resin) and As(V) As(V) 4-6 As(V) 96
Zr resin Both As(III) 5  10–3 ppb As(III) 8.0 As(III) 68 Suzuki et al. (2000)
and As(V) As(V) 4.5 As(V) 80
Iron(III)-loaded chelating resin Both As(III) 0.15 ppb As(III) 9.0 As(III) 97 Matsunaga et al. (1996)
and As(V) As(V) 3.5 As(V) 100
MnO2-loaded resin As(III) 3  10–3-0.15 ppb 7-8.5 82 Lenoble (2004)
Zirconium(IV)-loaded Both As(III) 0.1 ppb As(III) 9.0 As(III) 9.0 Balaji et al. (2005)
chelating resin (Zr-LDA) and As(V) As(V) 4.0 As(V) 3.5
Cu(II)-Dowex 2N resin As(V) 1  10–3-0.3 ppb 3.0 30-80 Ramana and Sengupta
(1992)
Author’s Copy
Zr(IV)-loaded phosphoric acid As(V) 2.5  10–3 ppb 1.14 36-70 Zhu and Jyo (2001)
chelating resin (RGP)
Titanium dioxide-loaded Both As(III) 5  10–3 ppb As(III) 1-5 As(III) 9.0 Tatineni and Hideyuki
Amberlite XAD-7 resin and As(V) As(V) 5-10 As(V) 3.5 (2002)
Iron(III)-loaded chelating resin As(V) 1  10–3-0.3 ppb 5-6 95 Rau et al. (2001)
Coconut coir pith anion As(V) 5  10–3-0.1 ppb 7.0 80 Anirudhan and
exchanger (CP-AE) Unnithan (2007)
ASM-10-HP As(V) 10 ppb Entire pH range 99 Hodi et al. (1995)

Author’s Copy
make them the basic units
Elizalde-Gonz’ elez et al.
Dominguez et al. (2002)

Dominguez et al. (2002)
of this process, which are
DeMarco et al. (2003)
Guo and Chen (2005)

Chanda et al. (1988) easily available. Polypyrrole,
References
Lenoble (2004)
polyaniline and polythiophene
are three of the most well-
known conducting electroactive
(2001)
polymers used for the arsenic
removal, attracting a great deal
of attention in the last two
Efficiency (%)
decades. Also, a number of

Removal
89-95 resins of polymeric membrane

78
80
99
80
98
80
were used for this purpose
(Table 8).
Metal-Containing Polymer
Several metal-containing
4-10
pH
5-8
–
–
–
polymers were reported for

Table 8 (Cont.)
the removal of As(III) and

As(V). Nanoscale hydrated Fe
oxide containing spherical
1  10–3-0.1 ppb
4  10–3 ppb
0.1  10–3-
macroporous polymer beads,

0.01 ppb
0.01 ppb
0.1 ppb
0.1 ppb
Conc.
1 ppb
iron oxyhydroxide-loaded
cellulose beads, polystyrene
and iron hydroxide coated
polyHIPE (PHP) were used
Both As(III)
Both As(III)
Both As(III)
and As(V)
and As(V)
and As(V)
for arsenic removal. PolyHIPE

Species
As(III)
As(III)
As(V)
As(V)
(PHP) was the more effective

arsenic sorbent (Zhu and Jyo,
2001; Katsoyiannis and
MnO2-based polystyrene matrix
Zouboulis, 2002; DeMarco et

al., 2003). Further, arsenate was
Fe(II)-loaded pectin-based
Duolite GT-73 crosslinked

Bed cellulose loaded with
Weak base micro porous
effectively adsorbed by both

PVA mercaptyl fibre
unloaded and Fe(III)-loaded

Resins
chelating resins
sponges in the pH range 2-9

Fe hydroxide
(maximum at pH 7) (Munoz
polystyrene
hydrogels
et al., 2002). The co-polymer

Zeolite
beads of monoclinic hydrous

zirconium oxide (ZrOCl2·8H2O)

Author’s Copy
into pores of the spherical polymer beads (prepared from divinylbenzene and 2-hydroxy-
3-OPO3H2-propyl methacrylate) exhibited a high affinity for As(III) ions (Suzuki et al.,
1997). Alginic acid was pretreated with Ca2+ and Fe3+ and the resulting Ca-Fe-containing
beads were effective in As(V) removal (Min and Hering, 1998).
Recently, a number of grafted polymers used for this purpose are highly efficient for
arsenite chelation. As sulfur and nitrogen have a high tendency to bind arsenic, synthesized
polyvinyl alcohol mercaptyl fiber, commercially used Duolite GT-73 cross-linked
polystyrene (Dominguez et al., 2002), amidoxime grafted polypropylene films and a
number of conducting polymers are used for this purpose. The natural fibrous polymeric
materials, viz., jute, coconut coir and alasca, too are used for the arsenic remediation
(Vatutsina et al., 2007).
Ion-Exchange Resins
The synthesized ion-exchange resins are based on a polymer cross-linking matrix composed
of polystyrene and cross-linked with divinylbenzene. Charged functional groups are attached
to the matrix through covalent bonding and can be catagorized into four groups: strongly
acidic, weakly acidic, strongly basic and weakly basic. Various strong base anion exchange
resins are available which can effectively remove arsenic from water, less than 1ppm.
Several resins were reported for arsenic removal, for example, Ce(IV) – Amberlite IRC-
718, Ce(IV) – PHA, Cu(II) – Dowex 2N and Amerlite IRA-900, showing high removal
efficiency (80-95%) (Ramana, 1992). The adsorption of As(III) and As(V) on an iron(III)
and zirconium(IV)-loaded chelating resin containing lysine-N,N-diacetic acid functional
groups were investigated (Matsunaga, 1996; and Balaji, 2005). Iron-loaded iminodiacetate
chelating resin and a silica/iron (III) oxide composite materials were used for As(V)
remediation (Peleanu et al., 2002). La(III) and Yttrium carbonate resin also remove between
98% and 100% of As(III) and As(V) between pH 4 and 9 (Wasay et al., 1996), whereas
titanium dioxide loaded onto an Amberlite XAD-7 resin strongly adsorbed As(V) from
pH 1 to 5 and As(III) from pH 5 to 10.
Impregnated iron to weaken base macroporous chelating resin was used for the removal
of As(III) and As(V) (Chanda et al., 1988). A number of ion-exchange fibers have been
reported for amputation of arsenate from water (Liu et al., 2002). Manganese dioxide,
loaded on a polystyrene matrix anionic commercial resins, was tested for As(V) and As(III)
simultaneous oxidation and removal (Lenoble et al., 2004). Further improvement was
carried out in order to produce new polymers (HCIX-M, HCIX-G, HAIX-M, HAIX-G)
by loading iron oxide nanopatricles on to the same polymer (Luis, 2005). Hydrated iron

Author’s Copy
oxide (HFeO) nanoparticles loaded on the ion-exchange fiber have comparatively higher
removal efficiency and fast sorption velocity applied to sorbed arsenic (Greenleaf and
Sengupta, 2006).
A reactivation of the ion-exchange media with a regenerating solution is necessary.

It should be rinsed with water in preparation for another treatment cycle, which results
in treating the large amount of water containing arsenic (Clifford, 1999).
Conclusion
The technologies discussed are quite effective overall and are safe for arsenic removal from
water, but need promotion for wider implementation in acute arsenic problem areas to
avoid ingestion of excessive arsenic through tube well water. It is worth mentioning here
that arsenic poisoning in humans is not due to natural reasons, rather it is due to
uncontrolled industrialization and absence of effective management of surface water
resources. Various approaches have been developed for arsenic removal, with each having
its own advantages and disadvantages. The Best Available Technology (BAT) method
can assist sorbent selection. Arsenic-free drinking water is a necessity for human health, so
we should emphasize on the purification of water through the several discussed techniques.
Alternatively, the most effective, economically achievable, and state-of-the-art technology
currently in use for controlling pollution, as determined by the US EPA, can be used for
comparison. In our view, among all the discussed techniques, the best one is the polymeric
support technique which offers innovative materials for arsenic separation. In this
technique, designing functional polymers is a key requirement; it can be assisted by
chemical modification and graft modification as well. High degree of binding groups may
be incorporated through this technique. Various other techniques are also mentioned in
the paper which are worthy of being used, such as arsenic removal plants at the community
or household levels in developed, developing and underdeveloped countries. However,
research efforts are still needed to develop inexpensive, rapid, sensitive and reproducible
technologies for arsenic removal.
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Arsenic Removal from Water: An Overview of Recent Technologies

Article · September 2009

Deepti Gautam Bhuvanesh Gupta

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Keywords: Arsenic, Environment, Disaster, Valence states, Aqueous system, Treatment

Arsenic cannot be destroyed; it can only be transformed into different forms or

8 The IUP Journal of Chemistry, Vol. II, No. 3, 2009

Figure 1: Different Species of Arsenic Present in the Environment

Arsenic Removal from Water: An Overview of Recent Technologies 9

10 The IUP Journal of Chemistry, Vol. II, No. 3, 2009

Arsenic Removal from Water: An Overview of Recent Technologies 11

Activated Alumina (AA)

12 The IUP Journal of Chemistry, Vol. II, No. 3, 2009

Technologies Species Advantages Disadvantages References

Arsenic Removal from Water: An Overview of Recent Technologies

Lime softening (2006), Hansen et al.

Technologies Species Advantages Disadvantages References

Sorption and Ion-Exchange Techniques

but highly rejection. Gholami et al. (2006),

Electrodialysis Electrochemical membrane process; Not purely sufficient for As(III)

The IUP Journal of Chemistry, Vol. II, No. 3, 2009

Technologies Species Advantages Disadvantages References

Arsenic Removal from Water: An Overview of Recent Technologies

areas. (2002), Vatutsina

process than ion-

and Ghosh and

values (Ghosh and

sizes (44-4,400 L/s)

The IUP Journal of Chemistry, Vol. II, No. 3, 2009

The disadvantages of the operation of AA systems include the requirement of hazardous

Arsenic Removal from Water: An Overview of Recent Technologies 17

IOC, 10 g L–1 1 ppb 3.5 – – 82 Thirunavukkarasu et al.

Granular Ferrihydrite (GFH) 1 ppb – – – 89 Badruzzaman et al. (2004)

Charcoal 1  10 –3 ppb 6-9 – – As(III) 12-18 Chuang et al. (2005)

MnO2 1  10 –3 ppb 7.9 17 25 As(V) 80 Ouvrard et al. (2002)

Geothite 0.06 ppb 9.0 39 22 As(III) 70 Lenoble et al. (2004)

TiO2 0.5 ppb 7.0 330 25 As(V) 89 Pena et al. (2005)

The IUP Journal of Chemistry, Vol. II, No. 3, 2009

Untreated GAC 0.01-0.3 ppb 4.7 600-1,000 25 As(V) 60 Gu et al. (2005)

Zirconium-loaded activated 1 ppb – – 25 As(V) 80 Daus et al. (2004)

Arsenic Removal from Water: An Overview of Recent Technologies

Pisolite 0.05 ppb 6.5 61.4 25 As(V) 80 Pereira et al. (2007)

Rice husk 1  10 –3 ppb 4-5 – – 80 Nasir et al. (1998)

20 The IUP Journal of Chemistry, Vol. II, No. 3, 2009

Rhizopus oryzae As(V) 0.4 ppb 4.0 – Macafee et al. (2001)

Water hyacinth As(V) – Ghimire et al. (2002)

Arsenic Removal from Water: An Overview of Recent Technologies

Pteris vittata ferns Both As(III) 50 ppb – 68 Tu et al. (2004)

Lactobacillus casei As(V) 100 ppb 7 38.1  90 Teemu et al. (2007)

Leblance et al. (2002)

Kumari et al. (2005)

2002; Loukidou et al.,

2003; Ridvan et al., 2003;

This is a new approach for

arsenic removal from

groundwater and soil,

which involves two

remove the arsenic ions and

the second is biological