Removal of Arsenic (III) from Groundwater by Adsorption onto Duckweed (Lemna minor)
Tasrina R. Choudhury
Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, Chemistry Division, Atomic Energy Centre, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
T. Acher
Deparment of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Dhaka University, Bangladesh
M. N. Amin *
Deparment of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Dhaka University, Bangladesh
S. B. Quraishi
Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, Chemistry Division, Atomic Energy Centre, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh
A. I. Mustafa
Deparment of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Dhaka University, Bangladesh
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Duckweed used as adsorbent material for arsenic (III) removal from groundwater. The results of this study showed that adsorption of arsenic (III) by duckweed without any pretreatment. Various parameters are investigated that affect arsenic adsorption/desorption. Maximum arsenic (III) removal was obtained under the following conditions: initial As (III) concentration, 100 µg/L; Duck weed amount, 3 g; average particle size, 0.595 mm; treatment flow rate, 1.67 mL/min; and pH, 5.5, respectively. The desorption efficiencies with 1M H2SO4 was observed 97.67%. The present work meets the arsenic concentration required for drinking water recommended by Bangladesh and the World Health Organization (WHO) water quality criteria for drinking water.
Keywords: Arsenic, adsorption, duckweed, aqueous solution, groundwater, desorption