Removal of arsenic from Bangladesh groundwater with zero-valent iron

Cartridges containing zero-valent iron filings mixed with sand were tested in Bangladesh to evaluate their effectiveness in removing arsenic from groundwater. The experiments were conducted by pumping, respectively, 1830 and 1140 L of groundwater over the course of a week from two wells containing 560 and 290 mu g/l. As. The set-up included two cartridges connected in series for As removal, and a downstream aeration vessel followed by a nylon filter to reduce Fe concentrations in the effluent. After conditioning the cartridges for 3-4 days, As concentrations in the effluent consistently remained at or below the WHO guideline of 10 mu g/L. Groundwater treatment with iron filings may therefore be a viable technology for arsenic mitigation in Bangladesh.