Removal of methylated arsenic using a nanostructured zirconia-based sorbent: Process performance and adsorption chemistry

► A zirconia-based sorbent is efficient for methylated arsenic removal from water. ► The maximum adsorption capacity for monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) is 1.43 mmol/g. ► The adsorption of MMA by the nanostructured sorbent is highly pH-dependent. ► Pseudo-first order and Langmuir models descript the kinetics and isotherm well. ► From spectroscopic analysis, an anion exchange adsorption mechanism is proposed.