INNOVATIVE WATER FILTER

FOR ARSENIC AND

PATHOGEN REMOVAL
INTRODUCTION

About 80% percentage of contagious diseases are

water borne.

Among the various undesirable and naturally

occurring pollutants in water, pathogens, iron,
fluoride and arsenic are very important as these pose
severe health problems.

Arsenic and pathogens are two of the most significant

drinking water concerns in the developing countries
ARSENIC CONTAMINATION
Arsenic is a brittle-natured and gray or white-colored
toxic metalloid that cannot be found as a free element
in the earth’s crust.

Arsenic is present in ores containing sulphide along

with copper, nickel, lead, cobalt and other metals as
well as some oxides that exist in nature.

Other sources of arsenic are insecticides, pesticides

and wastes from mine, smelter and tannery industries.
EFFECTS OF CONTAMINATION
Exposure to arsenic via drinking water initially causes
skin diseases such as pigmentation (dark and light
spots on the skin)

 Arsenicosis(hardening of skin on hands and feet).

Prolonged exposure can cause cancer of the skin,

lungs , bladder, and kidney.
PATHOGENS IN WATER
Pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa and
helminths, are the most common water-related
problem in the developing countries

They cause causing diarrhoea, intestinal worm,

trachoma, schistosomiasis, cholera, amebiasis,
giardiasis, stunting and other diseases.
TARGET GROUP
The conventional water treatment methods are not
affordable in rural communities

So other small-scale economical methods are required

The contamination is mostly found in areas where

there are iron and steel industries, tanneries and
places where the ground water contains arsenic
EXISTING METHODS OF TREATMENT
Conventional methods for removal of arsenic and
pathogens involve coagulation followed by separation of
the produced insoluble settling or by direct filtration
through sand beds

Arsenic removal by various methods includes reverse

osmosis, ion exchange, lime softening, flotation and
adsorption on iron oxides or activated alumina, waste
materials, biomass , aquatic macrophytes and hydrous
ferric oxide (HFO).
These conventional water treatment methods are not
affordable in rural communities of developing
countries

So other small-scale economical methods are

required.
 Table 1:Comparison of arsenic removal technologies
Coagulation and Precipitation
Brief Description Advantages Drawbacks
· Add iron chloride · High arsenic · Iron chloride not
powder to water in a removal rate if locally available
pot/bucket properly operated · Time consuming
· Stir and wait for and complicated
the operating procedures
sludge to settle
· Decant the water
and
dispose the sludge

Simple aeration · Let water sit in a · Simple to operate · Poor arsenic

bucket for a day · Cheap removal rate
· Remove the settled · Easily contaminated
sludge by bacteria and viruses

Activated · Pass contaminated · Excellent arsenic · Expensive

Alumina water through a removal rate · Alumina not widely available
column
of activated alumina

3-Kolshi Iron · Pass water through · Iron filing widely · Treated water
Filings a available contains high iron
bucket of iron filings · Excellent arsenic removal rate · Clogging
(scrap iron)
· Collect water at
bottom of bucket
 Table2:Comparison of pathogen removal technologies
Brief Description Advantages Drawbacks

Chlorine · Add chlorine · High pathogen · Chlorine solution

Disinfection solution removal rate if not locally available
to water properly operated · Time consuming
· Stir and wait for and complicated
chlorine to inactive operating procedures
pathogens

Ceramic Filter · Water passes · Water passes · Very low flow rate
through through · Recontamination if
a ceramic filter a ceramic filter filter not properly
· Filter removes · Filter removes maintained
pathogens pathogens

Boiling · Boil water · Excellent pathogens · Time consuming

removal · Fuel can be
· Simple expensive

Slow Sand · Pass water through · Excellent pathogens · Need 2-3 weeks
Filtration a removal startup time to grow
sand bed by gravity · High flowrate the biofilm layer
· Biofilm in sand bed · Minimal
removes pathogens maintenance
INNOVATION
This method provides a combined solution for arsenic
and pathogen removal

This method combines iron fillings technology along

with CSF(Constructed Soil Filter) for effective removal
of arsenic and pathogens.
CSF
CSF brings about nearly complete natural oxidation of
As(III) to As(V)
 
In CSF, respiration serves to bring about oxidation of
organic and inorganic and reduced oxygen demand
substantially

Bio-conversion takes place by bacterial process of organic

and inorganic solids. CSF efficiently removes BOD,COD,
suspended solids, phosphate, bacteria and carbon.
MATERIALS USED
The CSF technology uses partially weathered Deccan Trap
Basalt(PWDTB).

This media contains innumerable fine-quality zeolites, a

group of silicate minerals characterized by crystallographic
structures and are marked by distinct channels at the
atomic level which marks them as chemical filter.
 
Iron fillings can be locally obtained from industries.
 
METHODOLOGY
The set up consists of bio reactor fabricated with concrete
with a pipe connection at the bottom and reactor is packed
with the formulated media over a metal grid.

The contaminated water is run down the bio reactor. Water

percolates through the iron filings. Some iron is dissolved
in the water as a result

Then, the dissolved iron form precipitates upon contact

with air. Iron precipitates are excellent adsorbent for
arsenic.
Now, the water is allowed to pass through the filter
media. The PWDTB media absorbs the iron
precipitates and arsenic from the water.

The medium also removes pathogens.

The water coming out of the bio reactor is precipitated

with ferric chloride (FeCl3)
CONTAMINATED
WATER

DIFFUSSER
(IRON
FILLINGS)

FORMULATED
MEDIA

UNDER DRAIN
In CSF, the natural oxidation of As(III) to As(V) nearly
takes place, with further arsenic removal by co-
precipitation with ferric chloride.

The media also removes the iron precipitates formed

due to the iron fillings.

The method shows removal of pathogens to.

EFFECTIVENESS
On experimentation it was found that the water
treated with the above method showed effective
removal of arsenic, iron and pathogens compared
to other methods of treatment and also confirmed
to the WHO standards.

It was also found that there was a regular pattern

of increase in percent removal of iron, arsenic and
pathogen with the increase of treatment time
The data obtained is as follows:

Oxidation of As(III) FeCl3 dose as Fe Residual arsenic Run

To As(V) (µg/l) (mg/l) (µg/l) Time(hr)

294 35 12 2

295 35 10 4

296 35 8 6

296 35 8 8

296 35 8 10

(initial concentration of arsenic in water was 300µg/l)

CONCLUSION
The CSF technology showed consistent performance
towards removal of arsenic and pathogens from
drinking water.

The CSF technology can also overcome some of the

limitations of the conventional techniques.

 Moreover, it is also easy to install and operate, even by

a laymen after just a few days of training.
 
THANK YOU
REFERENCE:
Removal of iron, arsenic and coliform bacteria from water
by novel constructed soil filter system
Pravin D. Nemade, Avinash M. Kadam, H.S. Shankar
Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Powai,
Mumbai
Innovative Drinking Water Technology for Bangladesh, West Bengal
and Nepal Tommy Ngai, Debu Sen, Heather Luckas