title: Nitrate and ammonium ions removal from groundwater by a hybrid system of zero-valent iron combined with adsorbents.
abstract: Nitrate (NO(3)(-)) is a commonly found contaminant in groundwater and surface water. It has created a major water quality problem worldwide. The laboratory batch experiments were conducted to investigate the feasibility of HCl-treated zero-valent iron (Fe(0)) combined with different adsorbents as hybrid systems for simultaneous removal of nitrate (NO(3)(-)) and ammonium (NH(4)(+)) ions from aqueous solution. The maximum NO(3)(-) removal in combined Fe(0)-granular activated carbon (GAC), Fe(0)-filtralite and Fe(0)-sepiolite systems was 86, 96 and 99%, respectively, at 45 °C for 24 h reaction time. The NO(3)(-) removal rate increased with the increase in initial NO(3)(-) concentration. The NO(3)(-) removal efficiency by hybrid systems was in the order of sepiolite > filtralite > GAC. The NH(4)(+) produced during the denitrification process by Fe(0) was successfully removed by the adsorbents, with the removal efficiency in the order of GAC > sepiolite > filtralite. Results of the present study suggest that the use of a hybrid system could be a promising technology for achieving simultaneous removal of NO(3)(-) and NH(4)(+) ions from aqueous solution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 220-710, South Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Kyu
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Won-Bae
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Moonis Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Reda A I
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Abou-Shanab
authors.forename: Yongje
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yunchul
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jaeyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Hocheol
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Byong-Hun
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Jeon
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D060587:Groundwater / Q000737:chemistry*; D007501:Iron / Q000737:chemistry*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D007501:Iron