In situ arsenic removal in an alkaline clastic aquifer

In situ removal of As from ground water used for water supply has been accomplished elsewhere in circum-neutral ground water containing high dissolved Fe(II) concentrations. The objective of this study was to evaluate in situ As ground-water treatment approaches in alkaline ground-water (pH > 8) that contains low dissolved Fe (2, Fe(II), and HCl were added to water and injected into the two aquifers to form Fe-oxide and lower the pH to remove As. Cycles of injection and withdrawal involved varying Fe(II) concentrations in the injectate. The As concentrations in water withdrawn from the two aquifers were as low as 1 and 6 μg/L, with greater As removal from the aquifer containing As(V). However, Fe and Mn concentrations increased to levels greater than US drinking water standards during some of the withdrawal periods. A balance between As removal and maintenance of low Fe and Mn concentrations may be a design consideration if this approach is used for public-supply systems. The ability to lower As concentrations in situ in high-pH ground water should have broad applicability because similar high-As ground water is present in many parts of the world.