IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 895: Removal of Arsenic (V) from Aqueous Solutions Using Chitosan–Red Scoria and Chitosan–Pumice Blends

IJERPH, Vol. 14, Pages 895: Removal of Arsenic (V) from Aqueous Solutions Using Chitosan–Red Scoria and Chitosan–Pumice Blends

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health doi: 10.3390/ijerph14080895

Authors: Tsegaye Asere Stein Mincke Jeriffa De Clercq Kim Verbeken Dejene Tessema Fekadu Fufa Christian Stevens Gijs Du Laing

In different regions across the globe, elevated arsenic contents in the groundwater constitute a major health problem. In this work, a biopolymer chitosan has been blended with volcanic rocks (red scoria and pumice) for arsenic (V) removal. The effect of three blending ratios of chitosan and volcanic rocks (1:2, 1:5 and 1:10) on arsenic removal has been studied. The optimal blending ratio was 1:5 (chitosan: volcanic rocks) with maximum adsorption capacity of 0.72 mg/g and 0.71 mg/g for chitosan: red scoria (Ch–Rs) and chitosan: pumice (Ch–Pu), respectively. The experimental adsorption data fitted well a Langmuir isotherm (R2 > 0.99) and followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. The high stability of the materials and their high arsenic (V) removal efficiency (~93%) in a wide pH range (4 to 10) are useful for real field applications. Moreover, the blends could be regenerated using 0.05 M NaOH and used for several cycles without losing their original arsenic removal efficiency. The results of the study demonstrate that chitosan-volcanic rock blends should be further explored as a potential sustainable solution for removal of arsenic (V) from water.

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