Arsenate retention from aqueous solution by hydrophilic polymers through ultrafiltration membranes

Combining the liquid-phase polymer-based retention, LPR technique with an ultrafiltration membrane facilitates the separation of arsenic ionic species that are retained by the functional groups of hydrophilic polyelectrolytes.Arsenate retention by P(ClAETA) at a high arsenate concentration (47.6 mg L−1) was 58% and this removal capacity increases gradually, reaching 100% retention when the arsenate concentration in the cell was at minimum (5.5 mg L−1) using molar ratio (20:1) polymer:As(V).Arsenic removal was also determined at low concentrations (in μg L−1). The results show that P(ClAETA) removes 65% of arsenate at lower concentration and that the arsenate concentration in each 20 mL of filtrate above Z = 3 is below the maximum permissible level of the World Health Organization (WHO).The charge–discharge process shows that the discharge process of the arsenate ions from polymers can be performed when the polymer–arsenate was in contact with the acid solution from the reservoir.Removal of arsenic from the Camarones River water was also performed by using P(ClAETA). The water-soluble polymer showed a high performance (100%) for the first Z values and then decreased up to 16% for Z = 10.

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► Arsenate can be removed from water by liquid-phase polymer-based retention technique.
► The decrease in the retention ability is due to an increase in the ionic strength.
► The charge–discharge process of the arsenate ions from polymers can be performed.
► Removal of arsenic from Camarones River water shows a high performance until Z = 3.