The research on the possibility of ultrasound field application in iron removal of water

Abstract

The paper describes the preliminary researches on the influence of the ultrasounds of diversified intensity (22 and 24 kHz) on the content iron compounds in water. For the researches, variable operational parameters were used, such as: the vibration amplitude and the exposure time (1–5 min). The substrate was: distilled water and natural river water of intensive colour, prepared by iron Fe(II) compounds (iron ammonium-sulphate). The effect of ultrasounds was researched as a result of the influence of sonochemical oxidation processes and ultrasound coagulation on iron in the ionized form (of ions Fe 2+) and on iron–organic complexes in the lowionized or colloidal form. The share of sonochemical and coagulation processes depends on the parameters determining the ultrasounds intensity. The effects of the iron removal were researched at the low and high intensity determining the strain of cavitation processes. As a result, the changes of iron content (Fe 2+, Fe 3+, Fe og) and the colour of water exposed to ultrasound field of variable parameters were presented. The effectiveness of the researched processes was analysed from the point of view of the possibility of determinate intensity ultrasound usage as an unconventional method of the removal of iron from water.