Long-term electrode behavior during treatment of arsenic contaminated groundwater by a pilot-scale iron electrocoagulation system.

Iron electrocoagulation (Fe-EC) is an effective technology to remove arsenic (As) from groundwater used for drinking. A commonly noted limitation of Fe-EC is fouling or passivation of electrode surfaces via rust accumulation over long-term use. In this study, we examined the effect of removing electrode surface layers on the performance of a large-scale (10,000 L/d capacity) Fe-EC plant in West Bengal, India. We also characterized the layers formed on the electrodes in active use for over 2 years at this plant. The electrode surfaces developed three distinct horizontal sections of layers that consisted of different minerals: calcite, Fe(III) precipitates and magnetite near the top, magnetite in the middle, and Fe(III) precipitates and magnetite near the bottom. The interior of all surface layers adjacent to the Fe(0) metal was dominated by magnetite. We determined the impact of surface layer removal by mechanical abrasion on Fe-EC performance by measuring solution composition (As, Fe, P, Si, Mn, Ca, pH, DO) and electrochemical parameters (total cell voltage and electrode interface potentials) during electrolysis. After electrode cleaning, the Fe concentration in the bulk solution increased substantially from 15.2 to 41.5 mg/L. This higher Fe concentration led to increased removal of a number of solutes. For As, the concentration reached below the 10 µg/L WHO MCL more rapidly and with less total Fe consumed (i.e. less electrical energy) after cleaning (128.4 µg/L As removed per kWh) compared to before cleaning (72.9 µg/L As removed per kWh). Similarly, the removal of P and Si improved after cleaning by 0.3 mg/L/kWh and 1.1 mg/L/kWh, respectively. Our results show that mechanically removing the surface layers that accumulate on electrodes over extended periods of Fe-EC operation can restore Fe-EC system efficiency (concentration of solute removed/kWh delivered). Since Fe release into the bulk solution substantially increased upon electrode cleaning, our results also suggest that routine electrode maintenance can ensure robust and reliable Fe-EC performance over year-long timescales.

Concrete stabilization of arsenic-bearing iron sludge generated from an electrochemical arsenic remediation plant.

In this study, concrete stabilization is adopted to sustainably manage hazardous arsenic-iron sludge near the vicinity of a community-based arsenic water treatment plant for potential use as material for local construction. The strength and workability of the sludge mixed with fresh concrete were investigated to determine the suitability of the concrete mixture for building materials. We found that over 25% sludge (with respect to cement weight) can be incorporated safely into different grades of concrete (M15 and M20). Structural characterization of the concrete mixtures by Fe and As K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy indicated a structural transformation of Fe in the sludge from a hydrous ferric oxide to a less ordered phase consistent with Fe siliceous hydrogarnet. Differences in the As K-edge XAS data of samples before and after stabilization in concrete were interpreted as a decrease in As-Fe coordination after concrete stabilization in favor of As-Ca coordination. The leaching of arsenic in the stabilized concrete was examined by the Toxicity Characteristics Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and found to produce < 15 µg/L As, even at the highest sludge mixture fraction (40% sludge with respect to cement weight). The formation of calcite in concrete stabilized arsenic sludge, which was detected by X-ray diffraction (XRD), contributes to the low leachability of arsenic in the sludge for a variety of reasons, including decreasing pore size. In addition, the formation of poorly soluble calcium arsenates can also be responsible for the low mobility of arsenic. Overall concrete stabilization of arsenic-iron sludge can be an effective pre-treatment to safe landfill disposal and, when the arsenic-iron sludge is mixed in specific proportions to achieve desired strength, we propose this concrete can be used locally in nearby construction.