Study on arsenic removal in the drinking water treatment plant of Cremona (Italy)

This study investigates the simultaneous removal of arsenic, iron and manganese in a full scale drinking water treatment plant (DWTP) located in the city of Cremona (North of Italy), treating a groundwater contaminated by As and other pollutants (H2S, NH3, Fe and Mn). Different experimental tests were carried out at laboratory scale in order to optimize the operating conditions of the treatment process applied in the DWTP. The combination of pre-oxidation with KMnO4 and FeCl3 showed the best results for arsenic removal (yield of 76%). The monitoring of the full scale DWTP operating in the same conditions tested at laboratory scale showed that the plant efficiently removed arsenic (yield = 80%), ammonia (yield = 98%) and manganese (yield = 95%).