Arsenic and Heavy Metals Removal

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Are there solutions for Arsenic and Heavy Metals in natural water systems?
Is there scope for an environmental friendly product that reduces As, Cu, Fe, Mn, Al, Zn in this space?
I know there is external treatments like RO and Ion Exchange but don't know of any in situ treatments?
 

I thank you in advance for any feedback.

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33 Answers

  1. Hi Dave,

    Can offer my patent

    Patent no.IN 201811011885 titled BIOREMEDIATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REMOVING DAMAGING HEAVY METALS FROM INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENTS to remove all heavy metals and the several advantages are:

    1.Small and basic infrastructure involved .

    2.No need of electricity or other equipment’s or any infrastructure.

    3.      Easy to do.

    4.      The metal can be reused either within or else in a different industry.

    5.      Easy to install.

    6.    Flexible any amount can be taken up as a batch.

    7.Absolutely no efforts required.   

    8.Metal easy to separate using simple chemical and color based reactions.

    9.Least man power or human involvement .No machines even required.

    10.Stand still and stand alone or if needed can be connected to increase to any size or capacity.

    11.Sustainable, no dangerous waste produced.

    12, Can be done by any layman with minimum training.

    13.Easy to replicate.

     

  2. Dear Dave,

    We use our filter media FILTRAPLUS As to remove arsenic and some other heavy metals too. Please be aware, that iron and manganese should be removed as the first step, as these will lower the capacity of FILTRAPLUS As. For manganese we use our filter media FILTRAPLUS Mn as an accelerator and manganese is also removed at a low pH-value of 6.5. In situ treatment can be used for iron and manganese removal as well. This will not remove any other products.

    Kind regards,

    Jan-Peter Kiel

  3. Dear Dave, 

     

    As I can see you're from South Africa. The water hyacinth ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eichhornia_crassipes ) is famous about its Arsenic and heavy metal removal capacity- but this is a plant originated from South-America, and considered to be invasive in Africa, so it is not really applicable in your case. 

    I would either try to pilot a floating bed wetland of water hyacinth with the plants contained as much as possible (using barriers and filtration methods to prevent invasion) , or try to piloting algae as this study suggests ( https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13201-015-0300-4 ). 

    My other way of approach would be setting up a flow-through LECA hydroculture of land originated Arsenic-accumulating species like  Isatis cappadocica, or more likely Pteris vittata , which is native in South-Africa. 

    We have an excellent partner to work with in SA, a horticultural expert, helping us procuring very obscure local plants. If you would like to contact him, please send me a private message. 

     

     

    Sincerely, 

     

    László

     

  4. Dear Dave

    WE have one of the most inexpensive method for Arsenic removal for community water using ZeroValent Iron reactor. This system can achieve arsenic level of < 10 μg/L (WHO guideline) for initial arsenic concentrations of upto 500 μg/L. This system is best suited for Community drinking water, and requires no Electricity, chemical etc.  apart from Arsenic As(III) & As(V) it also removes Iron Fe(II) / Fe(III) and Phosphate. With some modifications, other heavy metals can also be removed. You can connect to me for more details - akshay@ifieldenergy.com

  5. The Virtual Curtain technology developed by the CSIRO, Australia's national science agency has the ability to simultaneously remove a range of contaminants. Please contact me at grant.douglas@csiro.au for information. 

  7. The cost-effective removal with minimum disturbance of both arsenic oxyanion and heavy metal cations from natural water bodies is a challenge. Concentration depends on the pH of the water.  The solubility of the negatively charged arsenic complex increases when the pH is raised to decrease the solubilities of the positively charged heavy metal ions, and vice versa. Besides, the optimum for arsenic removal more often is below pH 5, while the optimum for manganese is above pH 9. If you do not want to change the pH of the water body to reach such extreme values, you may like to use a sparely soluble compound that only creates the desired conditions in a thin surface layer between the solid and surrounding water. Ideally, a compound consisting of natural minerals with a high adsorption capacity for arsenic, and of alkalinity producing minerals allowing for the adsorption and precipitation of the heavy metals. Depending on your conditions, various available compounds can be advised or else might be readily prepared for testing.  They must be very fine-grained to have enough reactivity and therefore they also must be very dense so that they readily sink to the bottom of the waterbody in which they are introduced. You can mix the compound with a bit of water to produce a slurry that you then spray evenly over the surface of the water body you like to treat. The compound removes the contaminants, while sinking to the bottom, where it binds them long term once concentrated in the sediment. In the laboratory, you first test the effect of the addition of the compound using meter long cylinders with natural water. Then you perform a pilot test on a small screened-off part of the waterbody. You may investigate effect on nekton on the short term, but long-term studies might be required to investigate the effect on benthos.

  8. Iron oxy-hydroxide Fe(OH)3 will "adsorb" some heavy metals.  Vertical flow compost based reed beds appear to be effective for Cu removal.  VF compost beds can also be utilised for Zn immobilised as either sulphide or carbonate.  These passive techniques are all dependent upon water chemistry - mainly interrelationship of alkalinity (v. important) , acidity & pH etc

  9. Hi Dave - our pellet / granule technology is able to permanently 'bind' all of the metals/ metalloids mentioned. Removal rates from mine water are in excess 0f 99.5%. Bound metals will not leach unless placed in an acidic solution with a pH of less than 2.4. 

  10. We use our Ironhydroxide adsorption filtermedia (FILTRAPLUS As) for the removal of Arsenic and other heavy metals. Iron and Manganese can be treated with sandfiltration. Aluminium can be filter as well depending on pH-value of the water. Whether Copper will be absorped by FILTRAPLUS As I am not sure, as we do not have any experiences with Copper.

  11. As far as we have experimented most if not all of these pollutants are separated from the clean water by the SolarDew membrane technology, which is in its present form applicable for drinking water. For larger quantities other  applications can be developed.     

  12. Contact Clearflow Group Inc. To discuss Water Lynx technology. TSS reduction, metals reduction, nutrient reduction. Passive in-situ solutions. Email Jerry@clearflowgroup.com 

    www.clearflowgroup.com

  13. Good Morning Sir,

    There is not numerous but few media filters that can be used to treat more or less independently and together these natural pollutant in aquifers. (Except Copper, for which I need to ask my engineers, we made it for each other mentioned).

    RO will probably not accept them if too highly concentrate and RO is not that Env. friendly techno.

    I did a lot of project as specialized company in natural mineral water in which the treatment should be authorized only if it doesn't  exchange ions, modify the natural characteristic of your water.

    In terms of environnemental friendly technology, these media filters will need regeneration using chemicals.. So your concept of environmental friendly aspect should be subject of a clear talk and can maybe be addressed.

    Contact me if you want to discuss it.

    Best regards,

    Olivier.

  14. Graver still offer Metsorb, a titanium oxide based media that removes Arsenic very well and  some other heavy metals and metaloids. It might be suitable for your needs

  16. Hi Dave, our ASENFLUO media are able to removes Arsenic and Fluoride at 256.4 mg/grm in the drinking water. Our product are certified for safety disposal for land fill for the spend material.

    If you interested in our technology - contact us or visit our wed-site at www.asxban.com

    David Kang - Regional Manager

     

  17. We provide test kit,test paper,test strips and analyzers of these heavy metals.If you need,please feel free to contact me at jessie@lohand.net

  18. Arsenic and Heavy Metals Removal

    Are there solutions for Arsenic and Heavy Metals in natural water systems?
    Is there a scope for environmental friendly products that reduce As, Cu, Fe, Mn, Al, Zn in this space?

    With all due respect, I say, to get rid of all the above pulps from drinking water, Green Ion Formula can do it with a very natural method and system. Visit my post on LinkedIn.

    Regards,
    Nasrul Isa
    WA / Mobile: +62818619356

  19. Dave,

    As I understand your question, you are looking for more natural, non chemical, non mechanical methods for removing these contaminant from a lake, pond, stream or groundwater aquifer.  That is a difficult if not impossible task to accomplish. Most of the contaminants you mentioned are naturally occurring in some mineral deposits and as a result leach into water sources with runoff, acid rainfall and normal groundwater percolation.

    You can't simply destroy the metals, so to remove them requires some type of coagulation, precipitation or absorption onto another media.  For a surface water body, a constructed wetland with carefully selected plants may be the best answer to take advantage of bio-absorption /metal uptake by the wetland plants. At the end of the day though the plants would have to be harvested to remove the metals and the biomass disposed of somewhere, preferably a secure landfill where they won't find their way back to water.    I'm not selling anything, just my thoughts on the subject. Good luck,  Bob Duff

  20. Good Afternoon Mr. Gaybba,

    Aquathin's MultiBarrier RODI Process has been accomplishing removal of the contaminates you mention for 40 years in residential, commercial, industrial and laboratory applications.  Here is a small package system:

    https://www.aquathin.com/sites/default/files/aqualite_cat.pdf 

    and commercial lab:

    https://www.aquathin.com/sites/default/files/aquathin%20reverse%20osmosis%20commercial%20system.pdf 

     

    Feel free to reach out to Mr. Gordon Bastiaans, longstanding friend and President of Aquathin South Africa http://www.aquathin.co.za/ 

    Warmest regards,

     

    FOR THE BEST TASTE IN LIFE

    Celebrating 40  Years Pure Excellence

    ...into another Half Century re-inventing the water industry !

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    & 2008 PRESIDENT'S E STAR AWARD RECIPIENT ( visit www.aquathin.com/estar2008.pps  )

     

            Alfie

    Alfred J. Lipshultz

    President & CEO

    Aquathin Business Center  /  950 South Andrews Avenue / Pompano Beach, FL  33069

    T 954 781 7777 / F 954 781 7336 /E info@aquathin.com 

     

  21. I know you mention that you weren’t looking for ion exchange, but I wouldn't rule this out.  For low level concentrations ion exchange and adsorption can be the most economical and environmentally friendly.  There are high capacity, selective medias for the contaminants you mention which can be operated for long periods of time (sometimes 1-2 years) on a single charge, without the need for creating environmentally harmful regenerant wastes.      

    There are multiple solutions for your contaminant list, and the best technology selection (adsorption, ion exchange, precipitation/filtration, biological treatment, etc.) really depends on what the water chemistry of that system is and what the treatment goals are.  The most cost effective is often a combination of technologies, especially with multiple contaminants of concern.  If you have a specific case in mind I'd be willing to help you evaluate, feel free to send me a message at sean.kennedy@denora.com          

  22. Dear Dave,

    There are many ways to do it.

    I recommend explore the use of ozone and after any conventional solids removal as direct filtration or microfiltration.

    It is important know how much is the flow and concentration of that metals and some other parámeters to implement a pilot test I recommend.

    With the support of our technical team and our business partners, we can provide the compete solution for this project if needed.

    Regards,

    Orlando D. Gutiérrez Coronado

  24. Yes there are  sustainable solutions  built on- site  for specific siutations using loval materials, as developed by my colleagues  at the WHO  Centre of Environmental Health and Engineeringat University of Surrey , for India and Siberia .

    1 Comment

  25. Dave,

    My company specializes in constructed wetland bioremediation systems that have proven to be highly effective at removing the metals your are interested in.  The systems use no or very limited chemical reagents (non-toxic coagulants are sometimes required to facilitate gravity settling of ultrafine Fe/Al hydroxides, but this is not required on most sites) and operate on gravity flow with minimal maintenance and oversight.  Our "latest and greatest" system is located in Southwest Colorado and has been written about in local media there:

    https://www.denverpost.com/2017/12/17/toxic-colorado-mine-wildlife-emerging/

    https://durangoherald.com/articles/107088

    Typical removal rates for As, Cu, ​Fe, Mn, Al, and Zn at that system are 90-99% and meet Colorado's stringent water quality standards for public drinking water supplies and cold water fisheries.  Take a read through those articles and if your are interested in hearing more you can email me at dan@rmc-ut.com or call at 801-255-2626.

    I am definitely interested in hearing more about the water source you are hoping to treat.

  26. Yes. Simple sand filtration as we do at aquaclara.org works for areas without power or money for expensive RO systems to rid of Arsenic etc.

  27. Yes. 

    Infinite Water provides a method through which arsenic, manganese, iron, bacterial contamination, Total Dissolved Solid (TDS) are removed in a fully automated system by advanced oxidation process and using petite amount of chemicals. This technology is environmental friendly and is able to reduce the arsenic concentration under WHO guideline value. As the plant is fully automated it is highly user friendly where there is no chance for intrusion of foreign particles both chemical and microbiological in the treated water, resulting to safe drinking water.

    I conducted  three months of piloting with weekly sampling frequency for laboratory test, it is observed from test results that “Infinite Water Plant” is performing very satisfactory levels by removing arsenic from 188 ppb to 5-2 ppb level, manganese from 1mg/l to 0.03 mg/l, iron from 6mg/l to 0.04mg/l, TDS from 4600mg/l to 252mg/l and zero bacteria in treated water. Finally, the treated water also maintains its integrity, meaning that the Hydroxon™ process maintains all the necessary minerals in the water and the water does not require re-mineralization. Keeping minerals in treated water is extremely important for human health.

    Key Contaminants Treated by this technology claimed by proponent:

    Heavy metal & metalloid’s including Manganese; Iron; Copper; Arsenic; Molybdenum; Vanadium; Cadmium; Copper; Nickel; Lead; Mercury; Chromium.

    Bacteria and virus can completely remove by this technology.

    My email- jtac@link3.net

    1 Comment

    1. Hi Dr, thank you for this useful information. It seems like a good product for external use but cannot be applied to natural water bodies and lakes. My approach is not just the human factor but the environmental factor and the effects on water life, plants etc.

  29. Just to clarify my question, I am referring to the reduction of Arsenic and other heavy metals in Natural Water Systems where I believe current solutions can not be applied due to the environmental impact... Also referring to the breakdown of Arsenic and not via coagulation.

    2 Comments

  30. Clearflow Group may be able to provide assistance. Our Water Lynx Gel Block Flocculants can reduce heavy metals. They are specifically designed for in situ application requiring no power or technical skill for use. 780 965 0177

    1 Comment

    1. Thank you Brad, I don't think flocculants are the answer in natural water systems as it causes sedimentation that leads to other issues.

  32. It isn't clear what your source is. In general, lime addition will bring down most of those.

    3 Comments

    3. Joseph, I am referring to the break down of Arsenic into non-toxic elements in natural lakes and water systems. Not so sure if adding lime will achieve this.

      1 Comment reply

      1. You cannot "break down" arsenic into benign compounds like you can with organic pollutants like solvents or hydrocarbons.  Metals (well, technically arsenic is a metalloid) are irreducible.  All you can do is precipitate the dissolved ions out of solution through various means.  Arsenic and most heavy metals are stable and non-leachable under anaerobic reducing conditions (i.e., in sediments).  Thus, if you precipitate them in situ they will settle to the bottom of the water body, become incorporated into sediments and generally not create problems in the ecosystem, but this is somewhat site-specific.  

         

        It is difficult to help you further without knowing more about the water body(s) your are trying to remediate and what the source of the pollutants is.  Since you are in South Africa I am guessing the pollutant source is mining-related and ongoing.  In that case, you should first look into options for source control, i.e., installing low-permeability covers over waste rock and tailings piles, plugging or installing treatment systems at draining tunnels and adits, etc.