Iron removal using adsorptive filtration treatment for low iron concentration water from urban industrial region

Abstract

Iron in urban runoff water from urban industrial regions is undesirable because of aesthetic and operational reasons. Generally iron is removed by chemical treatment processes. However, these systems have a limitation for water recycled as drinking water resources (∠0.3 mg/L). Conventionally, low iron concentration (0.3 mg/L–6 mg/L) in runoff is treated by the process of aeration followed by filtration in water treatment. The shortcomings of this process include short filter runs due to fouling by large volumes of sludge production and elevated headloss. Iron (II) is present in surface runoff in the urban industrial region and roadway, and can be removed by the adsorptive filtration or the conventional floc filtration process. The adsorptive filtration process has several potential advantages such as longer run, shorter ripening time, low sludge production and cost saving. In this study, the adsorptive filtration process shows better performance than the floc filtration. The use of the adsorptive filtration process is a feasible strategy to reduce the filter ripening time and sludge production with high iron (II) adsorption capacity. Also, this method can apply for treatment of discharging surface runoff and can be used as an alternative water resource through a decentralized system or best management practices (BMPs).