Aluminium removal from potable water by adsorption (India)

More than 170 million people are affected by ingestion of groundwater contaminated with aluminium leading to various life-threatening diseases. Research has been done in recent decades to reduce the concentration of aluminium in drinking water, but there is still a need to develop inexpensive and viable techniques. Different methods to remove aluminium include oxidation, adsorption, precipitation, flocculation, and membrane separation. This provides an overview of the current state of research in aluminium removal from contaminated water and compares all available techniques with an emphasis on adsorption. The adsorption properties of aluminium on pumice stone, a cheap natural adsorbent, were studied on a laboratory scale using real samples. Pumice stone was found to be an effective sorbent for removing aluminium from groundwater collected in aluminium- affected areas based on aluminium removal performance, local availability, stability/low risk and cost. The adsorption equilibria of aluminium (Al3+) on pumice was investigated. The effects of process parameters such as stirring speed, adsorbent size, calcination, and different adsorbents on the adsorption of aluminium were investigated. Besides this, the analysis tests such as XRD, SEM and BET were performed to acquire knowledge regarding physio-chemical properties, surface morphology and specific surface area of the adsorbent material.