Arsenic removal from real arsenic-bearing groundwater by adsorption on iron-oxide-coated natural rock (IOCNR)

This study used iron-oxide-coated natural rock (IOCNR) an adsorbent of arsenic from real arsenic-bearing groundwater collected from the Lanyang Plain, North Eastern Taiwan. SEM and EDX were applied to characterize the as-prepared adsorbent. Batch adsorption studies were conducted at 25 ± 2°C. A 15 g L − 1 dose of adsorbent removed ~ 75% of the total arsenic from the real sample when the initial arsenic concentration was 40 μg L − 1 and the pH was 7.5 (reduced to 10 μg L − 1 , the maximum contaminant level (MCL)). The contact time was 6 h and the agitation speed 180 rpm. Adsorption followed the Langmuir isotherm and the maximum adsorptive capacity of IOCNR was 0.36 mg g − 1 . The dimensionless parameter ( R L ) and Gibbs free energy ( ∆G o ) changes suggested that the process is favorable and spontaneous. The adsorption process followed the first-order reaction kinetic model better than the other three kinetic models, and film-diffusion was the rate-limiting step. Arsenic removal efficiency of the exhausted and NaOH-regenerated IOCNR decreased in the second-cycle operation. Arsenic removal efficiency of IOCNR was comparable to that of the commercially available patented adsorbent LEWATIT FO36. ► Iron-oxide-coated natural rock (IOCNR) was developed as an adsorbent of arsenic from real arsenic-bearing groundwater. ► The adsorption process followed the first-order reaction kinetic model. ► Removal efficiency of IOCNR performed equally well with the commercially available patented adsorbent. ► Treated water could be used for drinking purpose.