Keith C. K. Lai

Effects of humic acid on arsenic(V) removal by zero-valent iron from groundwater with special references to corrosion products analyses.

The effects of humic acid (HA) on As(V) removal by zero-valent iron (Fe(0)) from groundwater, associated with corrosion products analyses, were investigated using batch experiments. It was found that arsenic was rapidly removed from groundwater possibly due to its adsorption and co-precipitation with the corrosion products of Fe(0). The removal rate of arsenic by Fe(0) was inhibited in the presence of HA probably because of the formation of soluble Fe-humate in groundwater which hindered the production of iron precipitates. A longer reaction time was then required for arsenic removal. Such an influence of HA on arsenic removal increased with increasing HA concentration from 5 to 25mgL(-1). The binding capacity of HA for dissolved Fe was estimated to be about 0.75mg Femg(-1) HA. When the complexation of HA with dissolved Fe was saturated, further corrosion of Fe(0) would produce precipitates, which significantly accelerated the removal of arsenic from groundwater via adsorption and co-precipitation with the corrosion products. Iron (hydr)oxides such as maghemite, lepidocrocite, and magnetite were characterized by XRD analyses as the corrosion products, while As(V) was found on the surface of these corrosion products as detected by fourier transform infrared spectrometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Zero-valent iron reactive materials for hazardous waste and inorganics removal.

Sponsored by the Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste Management Committee of the Environmental and Water Resources Institute of ASCE.

Behavior of Electro-osmotic Dewatering of Biological Sludge with Salinity

The salinity effect on electro-osmosis dewatering was investigated by measuring the solid content of sludge after dewatering. Three levels of salinity were studied, 5,000, 10,000, and 12,500 ppm. Coagulant chemicals such as alum, ferrous sulfate, and organic polyelectrolytes were used for some tests. Increasing the salinity from 5,000 to 10,000 ppm and 10,000 to 12,500 ppm was found to increase the sludge solid content about 88 and 28%, respectively. A 2 V/cm increase in voltage intensity can also increase the solid content about 46%. The effect of chemicals is evident at low salinity. At 5,000 and 10,000 ppm, addition of chemicals in average can enhance the sludge solid content about 44 and 16%, respectively. Because of the electrolysis of salt solution and the release of chlorine gas, the pH of the sludge increased. Consequently the zeta potential of the sludge increased, which in turn results in an increase in dewatering rate. Therefore an S-shape solid content–time curve was observed for most of the operating conditions, contrary to the conventional shape of a linear increase followed with a decrease of rate before reaching zero rate.