Removal of arsenic in groundwater: Technological design for using in rural areas

SOTO E; GONZALEZ M; THOMAS H; SCHALAMUK I; BOTTO I L*

AUGM DOMUS

UNLP

Año: 2013 vol. 5 p. 110 - 119

1852-2181

The design of technology for water processing to be installed in rural and peri-urban areas with no drinking water is reported as part of a general project directed to the treatment of groundwater for consumption, containing arsenic values higher than that established for the WHO (10 μg.L-1). This project is carried out among Centers and Institutes of the National University of La Plata (UNLP), Planta Piloto Multipropósito (PLAPIMU CICPBA), Centro de Química Inorgánica (CEQUINOR-La Plata) and Instituto de Recursos Minerales (INREMI CICPBA). The construction of treatment equipments (batch type), is simple and operatively easy. The adsorbent is a low-cost Fe-rich clay mineral, abundant in Buenos Aires Province. The local conditions of water (particularly physicochemical properties) have been taken into account to adapt the process; witch allows working with volumes between 2000 and 4000 liters of water/stage. Three plants have been installed in schools of rural areas of Buenos Aires Province (in agreement with Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas CICPBA and Dirección General de Escuelas). A new plant is being constructed in Inchausti School (UNLP) located in 25 de Mayo. The equipments assure water provision in educational establishments and near populations. Some technical data about the process are reported in this communication. It is necessary to mention that the first prototype was installed two years ago with continuous use without replacement of the adsorbent at this moment, having processed 400.000 liters of water whose original concentration of arsenic is around 200 μg.L-1, arriving to values lower than 10 μg.L-1.