Simultaneous Removal of Arsenic and Manganese from Synthetic Aqueous Solutions Using Polymer Gel Composites

The groundwater in approximately 50% of the Bangladesh landmass contains Mn concentrations greater than the limit prescribed by the WHO drinking water guidelines. Although studies have suggested that γ-FeOOH can effectively remove Mn from water, its practicability has not been investigated, considering that the additional processes required to separate the adsorbents and precipitates are not environment-friendly. To improve the efficiency of adsorptive Mn-removal under natural conditions, we employed a cationic polymer gel composite, N,N'-Dimethylaminopropyl acrylamide, methyl chloride quaternary (DMAPAAQ) loaded with iron hydroxide (DMAPAAQ + FeOOH), and a non-ionic polymer gel composite, N,N'-Dimethylacrylamide (DMAA) loaded with iron hydroxide (DMAA + FeOOH). DMAPAAQ + FeOOH exhibited a higher As removal efficiency under natural conditions while being environment-friendly. Our results suggest that the higher efficiency of the cationic gel composite is owed to the higher γ-FeOOH content in its gel structure. The maximum adsorption of Mn by DMAPAAQ + FeOOH was 39.02 mg/g. Furthermore, the presence of As did not influence the adsorption of Mn on the DMAPAAQ + FeOOH gel composite and vice versa. DMAPAAQ adsorbed As and the γ-FeOOH particles simultaneously adsorbed Mn. Our findings can serve as a basis for the simultaneous removal of contaminants such as As, Mn, Cr, and Cd.