Water Defluoridation Using Sequentially Coupled Moringa oleifera Seed Extract and Electrocoagulation

Moringa oleifera (MO) seed extract coupled with electrocoagulation (EC) was used to remove fluoride from water. Different MO extract volumes (5.0, 12.5, and 25.0 mL of MO extract per water liter) were coupled with EC, using aluminum electrodes at different current density values (J = 0.7, 2.0, and 3.3 mA/cm²) and different electrode separations (1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 cm), tested in batch and recirculation experiments. Control experiments using MO extract and EC alone achieved 5% and 54% water defluoridation, respectively. Best experimental batch conditions were achieved using 12.5 mL of MO extract followed by EC (3.3 mA/cm²) with a 1.0 cm electrode separation, producing >90% fluoride removal. Recirculation experiments with the EC reactor were performed with DI water and tap water using 1.0 cm electrode separation, 12.5 mL of MO extract and different current densities. More than 90% fluoride removal was achieved with the EC/MO process, using 3.3 mA/cm², in both DI and tap water after 30 and 60 min, respectively. An energy consumption index (ECI) was developed, which showed that 1.51 and 0.67 W/h/mg were achieved for batch experiments of EC alone and EC/MO extract, respectively. For EC/MO extract, recirculation experiments with tap and DI water resulted in 0.35 and 0.22 W/h/mg, respectively. A cost analysis showed that $0.18 will be needed to treat one cubic meter of water.     

Ecohydrology and flood risk management under climate vulnerability in relation to the sustainable development goals (SDGs): a case study in Nagaa Mobarak Village,Egypt

Natural Hazards - This article aims to provide a thorough assessment of water quality and quantity incorporating the estimation of future patterns as a result of climate change from economic,...     

Characterization and treatability of a contaminated soil from an oil exploration zone

A crude contaminated soil, arising from an oil production zone in Tabasco, Mexico was studied. A sample of about 40 kg was dried and screened through meshes 10–100. Total petroleum hydrocarbons and 6 metals (Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, V and Zn) were determined to the different portions. For soil which passed mesh 10, six non-ionic, three anionic and one zwitterionic surfactant solutions (0.5%) were employed to wash the soil. Additional tests using surfactant salt mixtures and surfactants mixtures were carried out. Once the best soil washing conditions were identified, these experimental conditions were applied for washing the rest of the soil portions obtained (meshes 4, 6, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100). Total petroleum hydrocarbons values were in the range of 51, 550 to 192, 130 mg/kg. Cd was not found in any of the soils portions, and the rest of the metals were found at different concentrations, for every soil mesh. Treatability tests applied to the soils indicated that it is possible to get removals between 9.1 to 20.5%. For the case of a sodium dodecyl sulphate 1% solution, total petroleum hydrocarbons removal was as high as 35.4%. Combinations of sodium docecyl sulphate and salts, gave removal rates up to 49.5%. Total petroleum hydrocarbons concentrations for the whole soil were about 150,600 mg/kg. The higher the particle size, the lower the washing removal rate. The combined effect of particle size and total petroleum hydrocarbons concentration, determines the total petroleum hydrocarbons removal efficiencies. These facts are very important for designing an appropriate soil washing remediation process.