Nitrate removal from water using alum and ferric chloride:udA comparative study of alum and ferric chloride efficiency

摘要

Background: Nitrate is an acute and well-known hazardous contaminant, and its contamination of waterudsources has been a growing concern worldwide in recent years. This study evaluated the feasibility of nitrateudremoval from water using the traditional coagulants alum and ferric chloride with lower concentrationsudthan those used in the conventional coagulation process.udMethods: In this research, two coagulants, alum and ferric chloride, were compared for their efficiencyudin removing nitrate in a conventional water treatment system. The removal process was done in a batchudsystem (jar test) to examine the effects of coagulant dosages and determine the conditions required toudachieve optimum results.udResults: The results revealed that ferric chloride at an initial dose rate of 4 mg/L reduced nitrateudconcentration from 70 mg/L to less than the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline value (50 mg/LudN-NO3). However, the removal efficiency of alum was not salient to significant nitrate reduction.udConclusion: In conclusion, ferric chloride was more effective than alumin removing NO-ud3, even in commonuddosage range, and can be considered a cost-effective and worthy treatment option to remediate nitratepollutedudwater. Furthermore, the removal of nitrate by coagulation can be simple and more economicaludthan other treatment alternatives.udKeywords: Nitrate, Water treatment, Coagulation, Alum, Ferric chlorideudCitation: Aghapour AA, Nemati S, Mohammadi A, Nourmoradi H, Karimzadeh S. Nitrate removaludfrom water using alum and ferric chloride: a comparative study of alum and ferric chloride efficiency.udEnvironmental Health Engineering and Management Journal 2016; 3(2): 69–73. doi: 10.15171/udehemj.2016.03.