Arsenic removal by nano-scale zero valent iron and how it is affected by natural organic matter

Abstract

Nano scale zero-valent iron (NZVI) is attracting a great deal of attention for use in treatment of contaminated soil and wastewater. NZVI has been used as an excellent adsorbent or reductant for organic and inorganic contaminants treatment due to its small size, high surface area, and very high reactivity. Specifically, NZVI has been used as an adsorbent to remove heavy metals and metalloids from aqueous phase depending on the experimental conditions. In a natural water treatment system, the presence of natural organic matter (NOM) may influence the targeted contaminant removal efficiency. Therefore, removal of NOM and the effects of NOM on contaminants removal have been widely studied to efficiently remove the target compounds. In this chapter, we introduce arsenic and NOM removal using NZVI as well as the interaction of NOM on the arsenic removal by NZVI. In addition, applications of NZVI for treatment of contaminated water and arsenic in the environment are also reviewed. © 2009 American Chemical Society.