Use of adsorption media for arsenic removal from water

ENVR 35

Darren A. Lytle, lytle.darren@epa.gov, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Water Supply and Water Resources Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 West Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268
The U.S EPA drinking water MCL for arsenic was recently lowered and, as a result, many small drinking waters are out of compliance with the standard. Adsorption technologies have been effectively used to remove arsenic from water. Specifically, a variety of arsenic adsorption media (e.g., iron- and titanium-based material) are available to the industry. The effectiveness of these materials varies with water source and costs can be prohibitive for some systems. The material is appealing to many systems because it is simple to use and is disposable, eliminating the need for on-site disposal. The objective of this presentation is to provide an overview of U.S. EPA research on arsenic adsorption media. The presentation will be based on both fundamental research and practical experiences of using adsorption media in bench-, pilot- and full-scale studies.