Treatment Of Arsenic Contaminated Groundwater Research Articles

Health Risk Assessment of Inorganic Arsenic Through Groundwater Drinking Pathway in some Agricultural Districts of Hamedan, West of Iran

Groundwater resources are an important portion of potable water in Hamedan Province, Iran. Therefore, monitoring the pollutants especially heavy metals in these resources are vital to protect the residents’ health. This study aimed to assess the health risks caused by inorganic arsenic pollution through groundwater drinking pathway in four important agricultural areas of Hamedan Province, Iran. In so doing, a total of 180 groundwater wells were chosen randomly for sampling during the spring and summer seasons in 2015. The samples were filtered (0.45 μm), preserved with HNO3 at a pH level lower than 2, and stored in acid-washed polyethylene bottles at 4°C for further analysis. Finally, arsenic content was determined using inductively coupled plasma- optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The results showed that the mean contents of arsenic (mg/L) in groundwater samples taken during the spring were 0.052 for Asadabad plain, 0.007 for Ghahavand plain, 0.006 for Razan plain, and 0.004 for Toyserkan Plain; whereas, the mean content in groundwater samples taken during the summer from Asadabad, Ghahavand, Razan, and Toyserkan plains were 0.058, 0.009, 0.007, and 0.004, respectively. Moreover, based on the computed values of the noncarcinogenic risk of groundwater samples from Asadabad plain, the hazard quotient (HQ) was greater than 1. Therefore, a non-carcinogenic effect is considered to be possible for the inhabitants of this study area. Accordingly, serious considerations including managing the use of agricultural inputs especially arsenical pesticides or herbicides and treatment of arsenic-contaminated groundwater with some proper methods before water ingestion are recommended.

Treatment of arsenic-contaminated groundwater by a low cost activated alumina adsorbent prepared by partial thermal dehydration

Experimental investigations were carried out to remove arsenic from contaminated groundwater by low cost activated alumina based adsorbent prepared by partial thermal dehydration. Activated alumina based adsorbent with high surface area was prepared following partial thermal dehydration of gibbsite precursor and an attempt was made to study the effects of dehydration temperature, residence time, rate of increase of temperature and particle size on development of active surface area of the adsorbent. The operating parameters were found to have significant effect on active surface area development. BET Surface area (by nitrogen adsorption) and ignition losses were determined for all the samples. It was found that an adsorbent of surface area of around 335–340 m2/g could be developed when dehydrated at 500°C for a residence time of 30 min in a rapid heating system (rate of increase of temperature 200°C/min) with particle size of 200 mesh (85%). The arsenic adsorption capacity of this adsorbent was determined...