Liquid-phase polymer-based retention and coupled electrocatalytic oxidation to remove Arsenic in the presence of competitive species

Abstract

The goal was to remove arsenate species in the presence of competitive anions by coupling of liquid-phase polymer-based retention, LPR, a procedure based on the selective As(V) adsorption properties of cationic water-soluble polymers, with an electro-catalytic oxidation process (EO) of As(III) into its more easily removable As(V). The electro-catalytic oxidation of As(III) to As(V) was performed with an organic supporting electrolyte, poly[3-(methacryloylamine)propyl)]trimethyl ammonium chloride, P(ClMPTA), which is recognized as an efficient reagent in removing divalent arsenate species. The bulk electro-catalytic conversion of As(III) to As(V) was carried out with a Pt-gauze electrode, and the resulting mixtures were introduced into a LPR cell to remove the As(V)-polymer adducts. Using P(ClMPTA) and ammonium salts at a 20:1 polymer:As(III) molar ratio at pH 8, complete (100%) Arsenic retention was achieved. For binary mixtures of Arsenic with competitive anions (e.g., SO42−, HPO42−, NO3−, and NO2−), the retention profile varied in the range 100–70%. In addition, the As(V) retention efficiency was found to be directly related to the consumed charge in the mol ratio As(III) in solution with competitive anionic species.