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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 3(5)

Mechanisms of Boron Removal with Electrocoagulation

Jia-Qian Jiang A C , Y. Xu A , K. Quill B , J. Simon B and K. Shettle B
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A School of Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK.

B Borax Europe Ltd, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 8XG, UK.

C Corresponding author. Email: j.jiang@surrey.ac.uk

Environmental Chemistry 3(5) 350-354 https://doi.org/10.1071/EN06035
Submitted: 6 June 2006  Accepted: 17 August 2006   Published: 26 October 2006

Environmental Context. Various environmental regulation organizations have set up standards or guidelines to regulate the boron concentration in drinking water, as a result of concern for human and animal health. In 2004, the World Health Organization Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality recommended boron values of no more than 0.5 mg L–1 in drinking water. Preliminary studies on boron removal with electrocoagulation have been carried out. However, in order to enhance boron removal using this method, and to meet the stringent guidelines set in place by the World Health Organization, there is a need to obtain a better understanding of how boron is removed from water by electrocoagulation.

Abstract. This study aims to explore the mechanisms of boron removal by electrocoagulation (EC). The results demonstrate that adsorption and precipitation of boron by Al flocs are dominant mechanisms in boron removal using EC. The Al flocs that result from the EC process are found to be mainly composed of polymeric Al13 polymers (43%) and to have a long-lasting positive charge. These characteristics of the flocs contribute to the high levels of boron removal observed using EC. The maximum boron adsorption of the Al flocs is 200 mg g–1 and the solubility product constant (Ksp), which represents the boron precipitate Al(OH)2BO2·nH2O, is 2.6 × 10−40 (at 20°C).

Keywords. : adsorption — boron removal — coagulation — electrocoagulation — precipitation — waste water treatment


Acknowledgement

The authors are grateful for financial support from Borax Europe Ltd, which provided a research studentship for Y. L. Xu. The views of this paper do not necessarily represent those of Borax Europe Ltd.


References


[1]   World Health Organization, Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality, 2nd edn 1998, Addendum to Vol. 1. Recommendations of Boron, pp. 4–6, and Addendum to Vol. 2, Boron, pp. 15–29 (WHO: Geneva).

[2]   European Food Safety Authority, EFSA J.2004, 80, 1.

[3]   Council of European Communities Directive, On the Quality of Water Intended for Human Consumption 1998, EC Official Journal, L330/41 (CECD: Brussels).

[4]   World Health Organization, Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality, 3rd edn 2004, Vol. 1, Recommendations (WHO: Geneva).

[5]   US Environmental Protection Agency, The Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List 2. Fact Sheet EPA 815-F-05-001 2005 (EPA: Washington DC).

[6]   N. E. Choi, K. Y. Chen, Environ. Sci. Technol. 1979, 13,  189.
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