The elimination of trace arsenic via hollow fiber supported liquid membrane: experiment and mathematical model

This work presents the elimination of arsenic ions from synthetic produced water via hollow fiber supported liquid membrane (HFSLM). Results demonstrate that arsenic ions in synthetic wastewater can be successfully treated to meet the wastewater standard as formulated by the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand. The discharged limit of arsenic from industrial wastewater must not be greater than 250 ppb. In a single-step operation, arsenic ions are extracted and stripped. Percentages of extraction and stripping proved to be 100% and 98%, respectively. Optimum conditions found proved to be 0.68 M Aliquat 336 dissolved in toluene as the liquid membrane, at pH 12 of feed solution, having a mixture of HCl and thiourea as the synergistic strippant, and flow rates of both feed and strippant solutions of 100 mL/min. A mathematical model, developed to predict the final concentration of arsenic ions in feed and strippant solutions, is seen to fit in well with the experimental results.