The Mexican Cactus as a New Environmentally Benign Material for the Removal of Contaminants in Drinking Water

2006 ◽  
Vol 930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Andrew Young ◽  
Alessandro Anzalone ◽  
Thomas Pichler ◽  
Michel Picquart ◽  
Norma A. Alcantar
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Metal Removal ◽  
Heavy Metal Removal ◽  
Hydride Generation ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Silica Matrix ◽  
Environmentally Benign ◽  
Flocculating Agent ◽  
Cactus Mucilage

ABSTRACTThe use of natural environmentally benign agents in the treatment of drinking water is rapidly gaining interest due to their inherently renewable character and low toxicity. We show that the common Mexican cactus produces a gum-like substance, cactus mucilage, which shows excellent flocculating abilities and is an economically viable alternative for low-income communities. Cactus mucilage is a neutral mixture of approximately 55 high-molecular weight sugar residues composed basically of arabinose, galactose, rhamnose, xylose, and galacturonic acid. We show how this natural product was characterized for its use as a flocculating agent. Our results show the mucilage efficiency for reducing arsenic and particulates from drinking water as determined by light scattering, Atomic Absorption and Hydride Generation-Atomic Fluorescence Spectroscopy. Flocculation studies proved the mucilage to be a much faster flocculating agent when compared to Al2(SO4)3 with the efficiency increasing with mucilage concentration. Jar tests revealed that lower concentrations of mucilage provided the optimal effectiveness for supernatant clarity, an important factor in determining the potability of water. Initial filter results with the mucilage embedded in a silica matrix prove the feasibility of applying this technology as a method for heavy metal removal. This project provides fundamental, quantitative insights into the necessary and minimum requirements for natural flocculating agents that are innovative, environmentally benign, and cost-effective.

Cost effective biochar gels with super capabilities for heavy metal removal

RSC Advances ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (79) ◽  
pp. 75430-75439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pan-pan Chen ◽  
Hong-ping Zhang ◽  
Huan-de Liu ◽  
Xue-gang Luo ◽  
Xiao-yan Lin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Metal Removal ◽  
Heavy Metal Removal ◽  
Cost Effective

A novel KGM based biochar with super heavy metal removal capacities can be prepared conveniently.

An Overview of Fruit Waste as Sustainable Adsorbent for Heavy Metal Removal

2013 ◽  
Vol 389 ◽  
pp. 29-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norzila Othman ◽  
S. Mohd-Asharuddin ◽  
M.F.H. Azizul-Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Metal Removal ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Heavy Metal Removal ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Good Efficiency ◽  
Recovery Method ◽  
High Metal Content ◽  
Fruit Waste

Biosorption is an environmental friendly method for metal removal as it can be used as a cost effective and efficient technique for heavy metal removal. A lot of biomass can be choosed as biosorbent such as waste material from food processing and agriculture.ent. This paper will review the potential used of local fruit rind as biosorbent for heavy metal removal in wastewater. Heavy metals have been in various industries and resulted to a toxic condition in aquatic ecosystem. Therefore, various techniques have been employed for the treatment of metal-bearing industrial wastewaters including biological treatment through biosorption. Biosorption offers the advantages of low cost, good efficiency and production of sludge with high metal content is possible to avoid by the existence of metal recovery method from metal loaded biosorbent. The successful application of local fruit waste in treating wastewater containing heavy metals requires a deeper understanding of how biosorbent material proceeds.

Heavy Metal Removal from Domestic Wastewater Employing Live Eichhornia Crassipes

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (01) ◽  
pp. 47-50
Author(s):  
Lal Ji Verma ◽  
Pramod Kumar Singh ◽  
Saurav Ambastha
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Metal Removal ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Heavy Metal Removal ◽  
Sewage Treatment ◽  
Domestic Wastewater ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Pollution Source ◽  
Wastewater Purification

This study uses naturally growing water hyacinth for wastewater purification system, this is an alternative technique of heavy metal remediation. These plants enhance the removal of pollutants by consuming part of them in the form of the plant nutrients. The vascular plants cultured in such treatment system perform several functions, including assimilation and storing contaminates, transporting O2 to root zone, and providing a substrate for microbial activity, canal containing floating macrophytes. This applies to municipal wastewater, in particular, where treatment units of different size can be applied at the pollution source and consumes less energy for the running. The effectiveness of wastewater purification by different plants was tested on laboratory and pilot scales. The aquatic plants system offers an environmentally friendly and cost effective technology, which have been used for removing Cadmium, Iron and Copper from wastewater. Batch experiments verified that the plants are capable of decreasing all tested indicators for water quality to levels that permit the use of purified water for irrigation, which poses serious problems in various locations throughout the country. It is shown that mixture of wastewater from in front of Gautam Budha University canal/ Greater Noida’s canal wastewater and Galgotias University sewage treatment plants. The removal efficiency of the Cadmium, Iron and Copper is 74.52%, 75.31% and 67.75% in greater Noida’s canal and 73.72%, 74.99 % and 68.37% in Galgotias University’s wastewater respectively.

Synthesis of hybrid silica materials with tunable pore structures and morphology and their application for heavy metal removal from drinking water

2010 ◽  
Vol 183 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 554-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaisheng Xia ◽  
Richard Z. Ferguson ◽  
Manon Losier ◽  
Nadéjda Tchoukanova ◽  
Ralf Brüning ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Metal Removal ◽  
Heavy Metal Removal ◽  
Hybrid Silica ◽  
Pore Structures ◽  
Silica Materials

Microwave-induced heavy metal removal from dewatered biosolids for cost-effective composting

2019 ◽  
Vol 241 ◽  
pp. 118342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simeng Li ◽  
Runwei Li ◽  
Youneng Tang ◽  
Gang Chen
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Metal Removal ◽  
Heavy Metal Removal ◽  
Cost Effective

Hydroxyapatite-Based Materials for Heavy Metal Removal in Wastewater Treatment

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Al Bazedi GA
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Metal Removal ◽  
Heavy Metal Removal ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Precipitation Method ◽  
Efficient Removal ◽  
Hydroxyapatite Powder ◽  
Removal Of Heavy Metals ◽  
Treatment Technologies

Nowadays, undisputable environmental pollution requests endeavors to treat wastewater, particularly containing heavy metal, where wastewater treatment technologies are improving hastily. Hydroxyapatite with micro-porous structure and the large surface area turns into an intense research topic as of its high adsorption capacity. Environmentally friendly Hydroxyapatite powder with the large specific surface is a promising cost-effective precipitation method, for the removal of heavy metals (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) from wastewater. Different studies have revealed the efficient removal of all metals using hydroxyapatite or by modified HA using zeolite or chitosan. The increase of Ca2+ ions content in the treated water suggests an ion exchange mechanism

scholarly journals Dual role of coal fly ash in copper ion adsorption followed by thermal stabilization in a spinel solid solution

RSC Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (16) ◽  
pp. 8805-8812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pengfei Wu ◽  
Yuanyuan Tang ◽  
Zongwei Cai
Keyword(s):  
Fly Ash ◽  
Metal Removal ◽  
Coal Fly Ash ◽  
Heavy Metal Removal ◽  
Copper Ion ◽  
Thermal Stabilization ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Spinel Solid Solution ◽  
Ion Adsorption

Coal fly ash is usually used as a cost-effective adsorbent for heavy metal removal, accumulating large amounts of spent coal fly ash that requires further disposal.

scholarly journals Manual Borehole Drilling as a Cost-Effective Solution for Drinking Water Access in Low-Income Contexts

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 1981
Author(s):  
Pedro Martínez-Santos ◽  
Miguel Martín-Loeches ◽  
Silvia Díaz-Alcaide ◽  
Kerstin Danert
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Unconsolidated Sediments ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Water Access ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages

Water access remains a challenge in rural areas of low-income countries. Manual drilling technologies have the potential to enhance water access by providing a low cost drinking water alternative for communities in low and middle income countries. This paper provides an overview of the main successes and challenges experienced by manual boreholes in the last two decades. A review of the existing methods is provided, discussing their advantages and disadvantages and comparing their potential against alternatives such as excavated wells and mechanized boreholes. Manual boreholes are found to be a competitive solution in relatively soft rocks, such as unconsolidated sediments and weathered materials, as well as and in hydrogeological settings characterized by moderately shallow water tables. Ensuring professional workmanship, the development of regulatory frameworks, protection against groundwater pollution and standards for quality assurance rank among the main challenges for the future.

Eliminating turbidity in drinking water using the mucilage of a common cactus

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Pichler ◽  
Kevin Young ◽  
Norma Alcantar
Keyword(s):  
High Efficiency ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Green Technology ◽  
Environmentally Benign ◽  
Aluminium Sulfate ◽  
Cactus Mucilage ◽  
Natural Spring ◽  
High Polarity ◽  
Settling Rates ◽  
Unique Surface

Diced Nopal cladodes (pads) have been used for the treatment of turbid natural spring waters in Latin America. To investigate this phenomenon, the mucilage derived from the species Opuntia ficus-indica was investigated. Comparison against the commonly used synthetic flocculant, aluminium sulfate (Al2(SO4)3) demonstrated the high efficiency of the cactus to eliminate turbidity. The mucilage extract increased particulate settling rates 330% compared with aluminium sulfate, at dosage concentrations of 3 mg L−1, while its performance was equivalent at doses 0.3% of the required Al2(SO4)3 concentration. The cactus mucilage, which consists of complex carbohydrates and sugars, has unique surface activity characteristics that make it an ideal candidate for enhancing dispersion properties, creating emulsifications, and for reducing the surface tension of high polarity liquids. These results indicated that the Nopal cactus mucilage has the potential to be the basis for a new ‘green’ technology, which is environmentally benign and cost-effective.

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