Co-occurrence, possible origin, and health-risk assessment of arsenic and fluoride in drinking water sources in Mexico: Geographical data visualization.

Arsenic and fluoride in drinking water present a significant challenge to public health worldwide. In this study, we analyze the results of one of the largest surveys of drinking water quality in Mexico: 14,058 samples from 3951 sites, collected between January and December 2017. We use these data to identify the distribution and possible origin of arsenic and fluoride in drinking water throughout the country, and to estimate the associated health burden. The highest concentrations appear in alluvial aquifers in arid northern Mexico, where high-silica volcanic rock likely releases both arsenic and fluoride to the groundwater. We find fluoride contamination to be significantly correlated with aridity (Pearson correlation = -0.45, p = 0.0105), and also find a significant difference in fluoride concentrations between arid and humid states (Welch's t-test, p = 0.004). We estimate population exposure by assigning to each town in Mexico the average concentration of any sampling sites within 5 km. Our results show that 56% of the Mexican population lives within 5 km of a sampling site, 3.05 million people are exposed to fluoride above the reference dosage of 0.06 mg/(kg ∗ day), 8.81 million people are exposed to arsenic above the limit of 10 µg/L, and an additional 13,070 lifetime cases of cancer are expected from this arsenic exposure alone. This burden of disease is concentrated in the arid states of north-central Mexico.

Assessment of full-scale biological nutrient removal systems upgraded with physico-chemical processes for the removal of emerging pollutants present in wastewaters from Mexico.

Two full-scale biological nutrient removal systems upgraded with three physico-chemical processes (coagulation, chemical precipitation, and neutral Fenton) were evaluated in order to determine the removal of emerging pollutants (EPs) present in municipal wastewater from Mexico. Between 41 and 55 EPs were detected in the influents of two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), including personal care products (PPCPs), antibiotics, analgesics, antiepileptics, antilipidemics, antihypertensives, antiseptics, stimulants, and hormones. Emerging pollutants were detected at concentrations ranging from 0.69ng/L to 94,600ng/L. High concentrations of emerging pollutants were found during dry season. WWTP 1, integrated by oxidation ditches and UV light lamps, showed removal efficiencies of EPs between 20% and 22%. On the other hand, WWTP 2 consisted of anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic tanks coupled with two disinfection processes; chlorine dioxide and UV light lamps, for which the removal of EPs was significant (up to 80%). The concentrations of emerging pollutants in WWTP 1 effluent was found within a range

Conductometric measurement of the changes in humic substances caused by ozone oxidation.

Humic substances (HS), a broad category of organic compounds and a major constituent of soil, are responsible for serious problems during water purification processes. In particular, HS react with chlorine during disinfection processes to produce a variety of organochlorine compounds such as trihalomethanes (THMs), which are potentially carcinogenic to humans. The use of ozone as a disinfection method represents a potential solution to this problem; however, HS that are not completely oxidized may form by-products more reactive than the original molecules. The structural changes of HS during oxidation with ozone were evaluated through a replicated 2(2) design, where concentrations of 5 and 30 mg/L of two commercial HS (Aldrich and Fluka) were ozonized over different time intervals (0, 10, and 20 min). The ozone-treated HS were titrated with acid and base solutions, and the shifts of the slopes were then analyzed and finally related to the ionic alterations of the HS. The Aldrich HS (AHS) showed only protonated functional groups; the Fluka HS (FHS) showed only ionized groups; and in both cases, the amount of functional groups increased with increasing ozonation. For AHS and FHA, respectively, the maximum ozone exposure time (20 min) and the highest concentration of HS (30 mg/L) produced the greatest reductions in total organic carbon (TOC) (39 and 34 %), UV254 (50 and 60.8 %), and color (16.4 and 19.6 %). As for aromaticity, AHS showed removals of 39.6 % (from a starting concentration of 5 mg/L) and 17.2 % (from a starting concentration of 30 mg/L). FHS showed the opposite effect, with removals of 33.3 % (starting at 5 mg/L) and 40.1 % (starting at 30 mg/L). In this study, the structural changes of HS submitted to ozonation were inferred in a relatively quick and easy way by using a conductometric titration, thus demonstrating the applicability of the technique.

Incidencia del rradiente de velocidad en la efiiencia de la electrocoagulaciónn para remover arsénico en un reactor a flujo pistón / Incidence of he velocity graient in the electrocoagulation efficiency for aarsenic removal in a plug-flow reactor / Incidência o graadiente de elocidade na eficiência da electrocoagulação paara remover arsénico em um reator de fluxo pistão

Se realizaron estudios a escala de laboratorio usando un reactor electroquímico a flujo pistón con electrodos de hierro, que produce hidróxidos de hierro en línea como coagulante. Los objetivos fueron analizar la influencia de la turbulencia en el fenómeno de coagulación por neutralización de carga, así como definir los parámetros que más influyen en la eficiencia electroquímica de producción de hierro y en la remoción de los flocs formados. Los resultados mostraron que las eficiencias de producción de hierro y de remoción de los flocs producidos aumentaron al incrementarse el gradiente de velocidad en el mezclado (G) y el producto de éste por el tiempo de residencia en el reactor (Gt). La producción de hierro disminuyó conforme transcurrió el tiempo de operación del reactor; sin embargo, un valor de conductividad de 600µS·cm-1 originado por la adición de NaCl evitó este decremento y aumentó la eficiencia electroquímica. La presencia de cloro en el agua elevó significativamente la eficiencia en la remoción de hierro pero no influyó en la producción del mismo. En el estudio se partió del supuesto que entre más hierro se removiera después de la sedimentación, mayor sería la cantidad de arsénico que se eliminaría del agua. Los resultados mostraron que hay una buena correlación entre la eliminación de los dos contaminantes.

Studies at laboratory scale were carried out using a plug-flow electrochemical reactor with steel plates that produces iron hydroxide as coagulant in a continuous form. The goals were first to analyze the influence of turbulence over coagulation due to neutralization charges and second, to define the principal factors that are involved in obtaining high efficiencies of electrochemical iron production and in removing the formed flocs. The results revealed that these efficiencies were increased when the mixture velocity gradient (G) and its product by the reactor detention time (Gt) also rose. The iron production decreased according to the reactor operation time; however, the addition of NaCl to reach a conductivity of 600µS·cm-1 avoided the reduction and increased electrochemical efficiency. The presence of chlorine in water raised considerably the iron removal efficiency, but did not affect the iron production. In this study it was assumed that if more iron is removed after sedimentation the amount of eliminated arsenic in water will be higher. The results showed that there is a good correlation between the elimination of both pollutants.

Realizaram-se estudos a escala de laboratório usando um reator eletroquímico de fluxo pistão com eletrodos de ferro, que produz hidróxidos de ferro em linha como coagulante. Os objetivos foram analisar a influência da turbulência no fenômeno de coagulação por neutralização de carga, assim como definir os parâmetros que mais influem na eficiência eletroquímica de produção de ferro e na remoção dos flocos formados. Os resultados mostraram que as eficiências de produção de ferro e de remoção dos flocos produzidos aumentaram ao incrementar-se o gradiente de velocidade na mistura (G) e o produto deste pelo tempo de residência no reator (Gt). A produção de ferro diminuiu conforme transcorreu o tempo de operação do reator; no entanto, um valor de condutividade de 600µS·cm-1 originado pela adição de NaCl evitou este decremento e aumentou a eficiência eletroquímica. A presença de cloro na água elevou significativamente a eficiência na remoção de ferro, mas não influiu na produção deste. No estudo se partiu do suposto que entre mais ferro se removera depois da sedimentação, maior seria a quantidade de arsênico que se eliminaria da água. Os resultados mostraram que há uma boa correlação entre a eliminação dos dois contaminantes.