Removal of arsenic from water by using fly ash agglomerates

Arsenic is the 20th most abundant element found in the earth's crust and is the 33rd element in the periodic table. Arsenic occurs mainly in the form of oxides of As(III) as arsenite (H2AsO -) and As(V3) as arsenate (H2AsO4). As(III) is the most toxic and mobile form in the environment and naturally occurs in organic and in-organic forms. As for as the organic form of the arsenic is concerned, the acceptable limit in drinking water is 0.01 mg/l and permissible limit is 0.05 mg/l. In drinking water when the above mentioned As limits are exceeding it causes serious health effects. Hence in the present study an attempt is made to use the Fly ash agglomerates as cost effective adsorbent for the removal of As(III) from drinking water. A laboratory made experimental set-up was used along with fly ash agglomerates as adsorbent to treat the synthetic arsenic aqueous solution. From the experimental study in the laboratory for a period of 90 days it was found that the fly ash agglomerates could be used as one of the cost-effective absorbent to remove the arsenic pollution load to the desirable limit for drinking given by BIS.