Co-occurrence of arsenic and sewage pollutants in surface and groundwater and its implications for water treatment...

Arsenic (As) enrichment in groundwater stems from natural and hydrogeochemical factors, leading to geological contamination. Groundwater and surface water are interconnected, allowing As migration and surface water contamination. The As contamination poses health risks through contaminated water consumption. Sewage discharge in rich-As water bodies alters environmental conditions, increasing the concentration of organic matter, carbonate and bicarbonate, nitrite, sulfate, and phosphate in water. These changes could enhance As solubilization and release to water. This review investigates the interactions between these contaminants, and their implications for membrane-based water treatment processes. Organic pollutants in surface water promote microbial growth, depleting oxygen and altering redox conditions, which enhances As solubilization and concentration in the water. The interaction between organic pollutants and As primarily occurs through adsorption and complexation, influenced by the pollutants' functional groups and the water's pH. Bicarbonates and pH play critical roles in determining As speciation (As(V) or As(III)), while oxidants like nitrate increase As mobility by promoting its oxidation. When arsenic is primarily present as As(V), membrane-based removal processes tend to be more efficient. Sulfur also affects As dynamics through microbial processes and adsorption onto sulfide minerals. When nitrate and sulfate are present, Donnan exclusion becomes a critical mechanism that affects arsenic removal by NF and RO membranes. Although membrane technologies maintain high As rejection rates (97-99 %), even in the presence of sewage pollutants, this advantage is offset by the challenges of fouling and the generation of highly concentrated waste streams. So, it is urgent to avoid raw or not adequately treated sewage in As-rich environments.