Metallic iron for decentralized safe drinking water supply: self-reliance is possible
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Date
2024-01-01
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Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
Metallic iron (Fe0) is readily available worldwide and it has shown promise for water treatment in filtration systems. Fe0 filters remove physical contamination (e.g., colloids, suspended particles), pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses), and micropollutants (e.g., arsenic, nitrate, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals) from polluted waters. Accordingly, Fe0 filters can be used for water treatment applications where other materials (e.g., activated carbon, biochar, and bone char) are economically or logistically infeasible. Therefore Fe0 filters are a good candidate to help low-income communities in their efforts to achieve universal access to safe drinking water by 2030. The objective of this chapter was to summarize available knowledge on the design of Fe0 filters to booster their large-scale application at household and small community levels. Optimal conditions for Fe0 filters include the rational choice of the used materials building the reactive zone (Fe0 and other aggregates), the Fe0 ratio in the reactive zone, the Fe0 mass (e.g., size of the filter or number of filters in series), and the contact time (flow velocity). The proper combination of these design parameters is discussed. The results show that (1) all reactive Fe0 can be used for efficient water filters, (2) only porous Fe0 materials are suitable for sustainable water filters, (3) well-designed hybrid Fe0/aggregate systems are also sustainable, and (4) the major limitation of Fe0 filters is the lack of knowledge on the long-term corrosion rate. Future research efforts should last for months or years.
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG-1: No poverty
Keywords
Contaminant removal, Filter design, Low-income communities, Safe drinking water, Zero-valent iron