Remoción de fluoruro y arsénico con piedra pómez modificada

Several sources of groundwater contaminated with arsenic have been reported in the country since 2009. The Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (AyA) has had to change water sources, mixed contaminated and uncontaminated or in the worst case implemented systems of removal that use imported adsorbents with high operating costs for the institution and that could not be paid for by rural aqueducts (ASADAS) due to their limited resources. On the other hand, in 2014, the Costa Rican Institute for Research and Teaching in Nutrition and Health (INCIENSA) reported contaminated sources of fluoride in the Limón and Cartago area. Both pollutants produce chronic effects on the health of consumers and their effects can be enhanced by coexisting in water. This proposal seeks to find a treatment option for water contaminated with arsenic and fluoride, specifically, to produce and evaluate at the laboratory level and pilot level the use of modified pumice stone with iron-aluminum oxides (Fe/Al) and iron-manganese (Fe/Mn). Although the group of researchers proposing this project has already developed an adsorbent material based on pumice coated with iron oxides for arsenic removal, the use of oxide mixtures as suggested, as reported in the literature, would come to improve arsenic removal capacity. Furthermore, there is evidence of the possibility of removing fluoride, a contaminant that is not currently being treated in the country by AyA and even less by ASADAS. These results are absolutely promising and show that both materials have high removal capacities of both pollutants individually. However, the joint removal of both ions has not been reported. This proposal intends to carry out laboratory studies on the production and characterization of the pumice coated with Fe / Al and with Fe / Mn. These studies will include batch tests to determine the ability to remove arsenic, fluoride and both contaminants. Subsequently, depending on the availability of wells contaminated with each contaminant or with both, at least two pilot systems will be implemented. Thus, it will be necessary to design, build, operate and monitor the two pilot systems through filtration and with this, to be able to guide the construction and operation of treatment systems on a full scale. Based on the experience acquired, a treatment system capable of removing arsenic and fluoride or both TEC brand will be obtained as the final product. This product will be a pioneer in the country specifically in the matter of fluoride removal positioning the TEC as an expert in the subject and will be of vital importance to help solve public health problems with which the country struggles. Additionally, considering that these types of pollutants are found globally, the use of adsorbents is of international importance.

Evaluar la capacidad de piedra pómez recubierta con mezclas de óxidos de hierro/aluminio (Fe/Al) y óxidos de hierro/manganeso (Fe/Mn) para el tratamiento de agua de consumo contaminada con arsénico, fluoruro o ambos iones.

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