Synthesis of diatom-FeOx composite for removing trace arsenic to meet drinking water standards

This study presents the synthesis of diatom-FeOx composite as a novel sorbent for arsenic removal from water. The unique porous architecture of the diatom was utilized to immobilize iron oxide to form the composite. The surface area was as high as 70 m(2)/g. The adsorption isotherms for As (III) and As (V) followed the Langmuir, Freundlich and D-R models. Langmuir monolayer adsorption capacity for arsenite (As III) was 10,000 μg/g and arsenate (As V) was 12,500 μg/g. The pseudo-second order rate equation was found to effectively describe the kinetics of arsenic adsorption. This study opens the door for the development of bio derived materials for environmental remediation.