Department of Chemical Engineering

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Arsenic

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    Adsorptive removal of arsenic from groundwater using a novel high flux polyacrylonitrile (PAN)–laterite mixed matrix ultrafiltration membrane
    (RSC, 2015-01) Chatterjee, Somak
    A flat sheet mixed matrix membrane, made of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) copolymer, impregnated with laterite, was fabricated for the removal of arsenic from water. The permeability and molecular weight cut-off of the selected membrane were 3.4 × 10−11 m s−1 Pa and 48 kDa, respectively. Morphological analysis showed macrovoids constricted by laterite particles. Surface characteristics assessed by atomic force microscopy revealed the increase in roughness with laterite concentration. The presence of different forms of iron oxide (laterite) and nitrile groups (polyacrylonitrile) in membrane M25 was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. Incorporation of arsenic within the membrane matrix was demonstrated by subsequent lowering of transmittance peaks at different wavelengths of FTIR. Maximum adsorption capacity of the selected membrane was 1.4 mg g−1 at 298 K. Under the optimum operating conditions, the pristine mixed matrix membrane resulted in a filtrate with a concentration below 10 μg l−1 for 17 hours in cross flow mode with a 0.01 m2 filtration area. The stability of the membrane was demonstrated for three regeneration cycles. The effect of pH and coexisting anions like phosphate, sulphate, carbonate and bicarbonate on the removal efficiency of arsenic was studied. The performance of the membrane in the presence of arsenic-contaminated groundwater was also tested.
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    A socio-economic study along with impact assessment for laterite based technology demonstration for arsenic mitigation
    (Elsiever, 2017-04-01) Chatterjee, Somak; Bhattacharjee, Saikat
    Arsenic contamination mitigation technologies have been adsorption-based, but the most widely-used and traditionally available adsorbents suffered inherent limitations, including cost infeasibility and problems associated with regeneration and disposal of the spent adsorbent. The present technology is based on indigenously developed activated laterite prepared from the naturally and abundantly available material, and can hence easily be scaled up for community usage and large scale implementation. The total arsenic removal capacity is 32.5 mg/g, which is the highest among all naturally occurring arsenic adsorbents. A major issue in earlier adsorbents was that during regeneration, the adsorbed arsenic would be released back into the environment (leaching), and would eventually contaminate the groundwater again. But the adsorbent in this filter does not require regeneration during its five-year lifespan and does not leach upon disposal.