Comparison between experimental results of different technologies for arsenic removal from water intended for human consumption

Arsenic contamination in drinking water is a major issue in the present world. Techniques such as oxidation, precipitation and adsorption have been widely used for arsenic removal. The goal of this work is to analyze four case studies where the problem of arsenic contamination in groundwater is faced with an approach that includes experimental activities at laboratory scale and/or pilot scale. The first case study investigates the mechanisms for enhancing arsenic removal with naturally occurring Fe by the addition of an oxidizing agent (KMnO4) or a concentrated basic solution of MnO4 and AlO2. In the second case study, different experimental tests are carried out at laboratory scale in order to identify the best combination of treatments to be applied at full scale. The third case study shows the results of experimental studies followed by a full-scale upgrading for a drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) with no specific arsenic treatment in the first configuration. Last, the fourth case study investigates the performance of granular ferric oxide (GFO) with arsenic concentrations close to the Italian regulatory limit. A pilot GFO filter was installed in a DWTP. The monitoring results led to the implementation of the GFO filter at full scale.