Modeling of arsenic rejection considering affinity and steric hindrance effect in nanofiltration membranes

Rejection characteristics of arsenic compounds such as arsenite, dimethyl arsinic acid, and arsenate were examined regarding the effect of pH change in nanofiltration. Rejection mechanism of arsenic compounds was explained by comparing experimental rejection with calculation of the Extended Nernst-Planck model coupled with steric hindrance model. Nanofiltration membranes of the same material show similar rejection characteristics of arsenic compounds in different species. Steric hindrance and electrostatic effect in the nanofiltration membranes was well described by the model because the rejection of chloride, sulfate and arsenate ions, which exist in ionized forms at a wide pH range showed quite good agreement between model calculation and experimental result. The rejection of dimethyl arsenic acid and arsenite required the consideration of mutual interaction between membrane material and solutes as well as steric hindrance and electrostatic effect. A system with ultra low-pressure nanofiltration membrane coupled with pre-oxidation device was suggested for the treatment of arsenic in groundwater in Bangladesh.