Study on arsenic removal in the drinking water treatment plant of Cremona (Italy)

This study investigates the simultaneous removal of arsenic, iron and manganese in a full scale drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) located in the city of Cremona (North of Italy), treating a groundwater contaminated by As and other pollutants (H₂S, NH₃, Fe and Mn). Different experimental tests were carried out at laboratory scale in order to optimize the operating conditions of the treatment process applied in the DWTP. The combination of pre-oxidation with KMnO₄ and FeCl₃ showed the best results for arsenic removal (yield of 76%). The monitoring of the full scale DWTP operating in the same conditions tested at laboratory scale showed that the plant efficiently removed arsenic (yield = 80%), ammonia (yield = 98%) and manganese (yield = 95%).