Removal of Carcinogenic Arsenic from Drinking Water By the Application of Ion Exchange Resins

¹ Department of Chemical Engineering, Technical University of Konya, Turkey
² Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Selcuk University, Turkey
 

Corresponding author: Dr. Serdar Karakurt, Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey

Received: December 10, 2018
Published: January 19, 2019

Abstract

Cancer is the most common cause of the deaths and environmental pollutant is one of the main reasons for it. Within the scope of water intended for human consumption, trace arsenic concentration in drinking waters must be supplied below 10 µg/L, in order to prevent the carcinogenic effect of it. The aim of this article is the utilization of synthetic resins for decreasing high concentration of arsenic in water bodies. Monoplus M600, Lewatit FO36, Lewatit Sybron Ionac SR7 and Selion ASRFG3300 anion exchange resins were used for the removal of arsenic. The effects of the physicochemical parameters; reaction time, initial arsenic concentration, pH and ion exchange resin amount on arsenic sorption were investigated. The optimum resin amounts were found to be 60 mg for Lewatit Monoplus M600 and Lewatit Sybron Ionac SR7 whereas it was 40 mg for Lewatit FO36 and Selion ASRFG3300. Lewatit FO36, Lewatit Monoplus M600 and Lewatit Sybron Ionac SR7 resins matched pseudo-first order model while Selion ASRFG3300 matched pseudo-second order model. Adsorption of all resins fit monolayer Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Maximum adsorption capacities (Q₀ values) of the two resins with iron oxide structure were found to be higher than the other two resins. The removal rates between 100 µg/L arsenic solution and surface water varied due to the matrix effect of the surface water. Treatment with ion exchange resins decreases the cytotoxic properties of arsenic on human colorectal epithelium cell.

Keywords: Arsenic; Ion exchange; Isotherm; Kinetics; Colon cancer