According to Mehr news agency, a knowledge-based company has succeeded in presenting a new method for removing arsenic from drinking water, which has been exploited in various scales for the first time in Iran. In this system, granular adsorbents of iron oxide hydroxide are used. This technology has been used in more than 10 cities in Iran so far.
Since groundwater is the major source of drinking water, arsenic contamination of this water has recently received special attention. Currently, drinking water pollution with arsenic is a serious problem in many cities and villages of the country.
On the other hand, given the problem of water scarcity, which is an important issue for Iran and many countries, it is important to preserve existing resources and treat pollutants, including arsenic; Therefore, creating suitable facilities for the production of cost-effective systems in the country can be an important help in preserving the country's water resources.
So far, many attempts have been made by scientists in numerous parts of the world in order to remove arsenic from drinking water by utilizing modern and innovative methods, but most of the proposed methods are costly and can be used only in small scale functions.
Researchers have been successful in developing a new method for eliminating arsenic from drinking water which has been exploited at various scales. In this system, granular adsorbents of iron oxide hydroxide are being used.
currently, the production knowledge of this product is available only in a few developed countries. the manufacturing company for the first time in Iran has succeeded not only in producing this product but also increases the efficiency by producing these materials in nanometer size compared to foreign counterparts.
The adsorbents used in this method are iron oxide hydroxide with nanometer structure and have optimal adsorption efficiency due to their appearance and high surface-to-volume ratio.
During the synthesis of iron oxyhydroxide, the process parameters of nanometer particle production are precisely controlled. During the production process of the final product, these nanometer particles are produced in the form of granules so that they have no release during the treatment of drinking water. In general, in this project, a special formulation and method for making stable granules has been invented with the aid of uncomplicated raw materials that can be produced in the country.
The product has the ability to absorb water-soluble arsenic with both As (III) and As (V). Detailed studies have shown the absorption of 15 mg of arsenic per 1 g of adsorbent granules.
Nanometer-sized arsenic adsorbents have a significant effect on improving the adsorption performance of this product compared to non-nanoparticles. There are various effective technologies for decreasing the concentration of arsenic in aqueous solutions such as coagulation and clarification, reverse osmosis, ion exchange, membrane filtration and adsorption process. Coagulation and clarification technology is mainly cost-effective and suitable for small installations and has little effect on As (III) compared to As (V). The reverse osmosis process requires the use of membranes, which have high maintenance and replacement costs.