Removal of Nitrates in Drinking Water Polluted with Landfill Leachate by an Electrocoagulation System with Mg-Zn

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution air, and soil pollution, 2024-05, Vol.235 (5), p.269-269, Article 269
• Main Authors: García-Colindres, Miriam A., Requena-Alvarez, Brenda Lissette, Castillo-Suárez, Luis Antonio, Linares-Hernández, Ivonne, Martínez-Miranda, Verónica
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agrochemicals; air; Ammonium nitrogen; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Calcium; Chlorides; Climate Change/Climate Change Impacts; Consumers; Continuous flow; Drinking water; Earth and Environmental Science; Electrocoagulation; Environment; feces; Groundwater; Groundwater treatment; Hydrogeology; Landfill; landfill leachates; Landfills; Leachates; Magnesium; milk; Nitrate removal; Nitrates; Older people; Operating costs; Phosphates; Silica; Silicates; Silicon dioxide; soil; Soil Science & Conservation; urine; Waste disposal sites; Water hardness; Water pollution; Water quality; Water Quality/Water Pollution; Water wells; Zinc
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1007/s11270-024-07084-7

Due to the abundance of agrochemicals, feces, urine, and landfill leachates, nitrates ( NO 3 - ) are one of the most prevalent forms of inorganic pollutants in water bodies and groundwater. In this work, EC treatment was carried out in continuous flow with a Mg/Zn system for the treatment of a drinking water well near a landfill. The maximum efficiency of 93.15% was achieved at optimal operating conditions: current intensity of 0.6 A, flow of 2.9 mL/min and TRH of 86.81 min. In addition, 73% of silica was removed (from 65.05 to 17.76 mg/L), which interacts with magnesium and calcium to form silicates of both elements. EC is an efficient treatment technology with an operating cost of 2.65 US$/m 3 . In addition, Si causes interference in the EC system by prioritizing reactions with calcium and magnesium, and 72.69% Si was removed by EC. Finally, the inorganic ions were also significantly removed: 100% phosphates, 82.37% sulfates, 47% total hardness, and 42.28% chlorides. Conclusively, EC improved the water quality and thus minimized the health effects of consumers, and the drinking water studied in this work was used for the hydration of 212,500 L per day of milk formula for infant consumption and older adults. Highlights Mg/Zn electrocoagulation was used for the treatment of drinking water polluted with nitrates. The maximum efficiency of 93.15% was achieved at 0.6 A, flow of 2.9 mL/min and TRH of 86.81 min. In addition, 73% of silica was removed from 65.05 to 17.76 mg/ L. EC is an efficient treatment technology with an operating cost of 2.65 US$/m 3 EC improved the water quality minimizing the health effects of consumers. Graphical Abstract