Subsurface arsenic and iron removal (SAR/SIR) is a novel technology to remove arsenic, iron and other groundwater components by using the subsoil. This research project investigated the influence of the groundwater composition on subsurface treatment. In anoxic sand column experiments, with synthetic groundwater and virgin sand, it was found that several dissolved substances in groundwater compete for adsorption sites with arsenic and iron. The presence of 0.01 mmol L−1 phosphate, 0.2 mmol L−1 silicate, and 1 mmol L−1 nitrate greatly reduced the efficiency of SAR, illustrating the vulnerability of this technology in diverse geochemical settings. SIR was not as sensitive to other inorganic groundwater compounds, though iron retardation was limited by 1.2 mmol L−1 calcium and 0.06 mmol L−1 manganese.
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Research Article|
July 01 2012
Influence of groundwater composition on subsurface iron and arsenic removal
D. H. Moed;
1Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands
E-mail: D.H.Moed@tudelft.nl
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D. van Halem;
D. van Halem
1Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands
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J. Q. J. C. Verberk;
J. Q. J. C. Verberk
1Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands
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G. L. Amy;
G. L. Amy
1Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands
2UNESCO-IHE, Westvest 7, 2611 AX Delft, The Netherlands Present address: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 55455, Thuwal 34, Saudi Arabia
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J. C. van Dijk
J. C. van Dijk
1Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Stevinweg 1, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands
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Water Sci Technol (2012) 66 (1): 173–178.
Article history
Received:
November 17 2011
Accepted:
February 13 2012
Citation
D. H. Moed, D. van Halem, J. Q. J. C. Verberk, G. L. Amy, J. C. van Dijk; Influence of groundwater composition on subsurface iron and arsenic removal. Water Sci Technol 1 July 2012; 66 (1): 173–178. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2012.151
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