Removal of Arsenic from Aqueous Solution Using Hybrid Metal Oxide

Hybrid reaction media prepared with aluminum oxide recycled from industrial wastes and titanium dioxide was used in the treatment of synthetic wastewater containing arsenic, where photocatalytic oxidation of As(III) and/or adsorption of As(V) was applied for treatment of the effluent. Although both synthesized aluminum oxide (SAO) and hybrid metal oxide (HMO) showed lower adsorption efficiency of As(III) than As(V) in the entire pH range, the results of HMO adsorption indicated a possibility of As(III) removal at acidic pH conditions. Under a wavelength of 365–375 nm with using ultraviolet light emitting diode it was observed that HMO effectively oxidized As(III) to As(V) and adsorbed sufficiently both As(III) and As(V). Oxidation of As(III) was pH dependent and the percentage of As(III) oxidation was enhanced under more acidic conditions. The results obtained demonstrated that prepared hybrid media can be effectively used for inorganic arsenic removal from groundwater.