posted on 2018-02-12, 15:11authored byTom Mahin, Tommy K. Ngai, Susan Murcott, Mohon K. Mondal
Significant levels of naturally occurring phosphates in groundwater in some arsenic affected regions can
potentially reduce removal efficiencies of some critical iron-based arsenic treatment systems that currently
are among the most simple and low-cost treatment approaches. From March-December 2007, the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT), the Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST)
and LEDARS, a Bangladeshi NGO, conducted pilot testing in Bangladesh of the Kanchan Arsenic Filter.
Because of the varying phosphate levels in groundwater in different districts in Bangladesh, the project
also included an analysis of phosphate data from arsenic studies conducted by other organizations in high
arsenic areas in Vietnam, Cambodia, West Bengal and Inner Mongolia and compared them to results from
Bangladesh and Nepal.The results from the analysis indicated that the ratio of iron to phosphates in the
groundwater might be a good indicator for the effectiveness of iron-based arsenic removal systems in high
arsenic areas.
History
School
Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering
Research Unit
Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC)
Published in
WEDC Conference
Citation
MAHIN, T. ... et al, 2008. Importance of evaluating phosphate levels in tubewells in high arsenic areas of Asia. IN: Jones, H. (ed). Access to sanitation and safe water - Global partnerships and local actions: Proceedings of the 33rd WEDC International Conference, Accra, Ghana, 7-11 April 2008, pp. 467-473.
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