Fixed-bed column performance of Mn-incorporated iron(III) oxide nanoparticle agglomerates on As(III) removal from the spiked groundwater in lab bench scale

Assessment of the breakthrough performance of agglomerated Mn-incorporated Fe(III) oxide nanoparticle (MNFO) packed fixed-bed column on As(III) removal was conducted from the spiked groundwater. Variable parameters examined were column bed depth, effluent discharge rate and input As(III) concentration. Modeling of the breakthrough point (As concentration <= 0.01 mg L-1) data by the Thomas and the Adams-Bohert models showed better fit of data with Thomas model (R-2 = 0.98-0.99) than Adams-Bohert model (R-2 = 0.90-0.94). The Bed Depth Service Time (BDST) modeling of breakthrough data at variable bed depths showed the length of mass transfer zone (Do), the adsorption capacity per unit volume (N-BD) and the rate constant (k(BD)) values 9.65 x 10(-7) cm, 3.34 mg cm(-3) and 2.74 x 10(-3) L mg(-1) min(-1), respectively. Best fixed-bed column performance was noted (V-B= 16.39L) only for the highest EBCT (8.3 min) and lowest input As(III) concentration (1.0 mg L-1). Thus, the MNFO fixed bed filtering column is capable to reduce not only high arsenic level but also other inorganic contaminants such as iron and phosphate from the groundwater. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.