Operational Performance of Packed-Bed Columns Using Mill-Scale Derived Fe3O4 for Efficient Arsenic Removal from Water
摘要
This study demonstrates an efficient and sustainable method for synthesizing magnetite (Fe₃O₄) using mill scale waste obtained from "P" Iron & Steel Company. The study focuses on the application of long-term arsenic (As) removal over a duration of 352 days using packed-bed column reactors. Magnetite was synthesized using a reverse coprecipitation method, with the pH carefully controlled at 8.3 ± 0.2 during the synthesis process. The resulting Fe₃O₄ particles demonstrated high adsorption capacities of 12.68 mg/g for As(V) and 10.49 mg/g for As(III), with a synthesis yield of 96.7%. Column experiments demonstrated over 99% As(V) removal efficiency using 80 g of Fe₃O₄ at an influent concentration of 1,000 µg L⁻1 and pH 7.0, maintaining consistent performance over four adsorption–desorption cycles regenerated with 0.2 N NaOH. The reverse coprecipitation method significantly enhanced Fe₃O₄ crystallinity, uniformity, and adsorption efficiency compared with the conventional coprecipitation technique. Furthermore, the synthesized Fe₃O₄ showed high stability, reusability, and scalability, making it suitable for continuous treatment systems. Overall, this study demonstrates a sustainable and scalable strategy for converting industrial mill scale into high-performance Fe₃O₄ adsorbents, providing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for efficient arsenic removal in groundwater treatment systems.
Graphical Abstract