Solar photocatalytic oxidation and removal of arsenic from ground water

Abstract

<span style="mso-bidi-language:HI">In a laboratory study, the effectiveness of combined tartrate and citrate as photocatalyst in solar photocatalytic oxidation and removal of arsenic from ground water was studied and a method, using a naturally occurring tartrate-citrate

<span style="mso-bidi-language:HI">photocatalyst that can be used at the household level to treat small quantities of drinking water was developed. Kinetic tests performed with 250 µg/L, As(III)-spiked ground water in presence of 5 mg/L Fe(II) and 50 µM photocatalyst, showed equal

<span style="mso-bidi-language:HI">efficiency of tartrate and citrate in combination for oxidation and removal of arsenic from ground water in 6 h solar illumination. Presence of silicate moderately decreased the removal of arsenic, while phosphate had more drastic effect on arsenic removal. With the increase in initial As(III) concentration above 250 µg/L, 5 mg/L Fe(II) did not achieved the removal to below 50 µg/L, although the maximum removal efficiency was 80%. Extract of tamarind (fruit of the tree <i>Tamarindus indica), </i>a natural source of tartrate-citrate (equivalent to 50 IlM tartrate and citrate) achieved the arsenic oxidation and removal from 250-260 µg/L arsenic-bearing water to below 50 µg/L. The method performed within a l-L closed PET bottle showed similar removal and can be applied at the household level to treat small quantities of drinking water.

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