Modelling arsenic(III) adsorption from water by sulfate‐modified iron oxide‐coated sand (SMIOCS)

A medium developed by coating BaSO4 and Fe on quartz sand known as sulfate‐modified iron oxide‐coated sand (SMIOCS) was evaluated for the removal of arsenic(III) from simulated water with an ionic strength of 0.01 M NaNO3 during batch studies. The medium was characterised for BET surface area, alkali‐resistance, acid‐resistance and the presence of iron and barium on the coated surface. Two simplified kinetic models, ie active available site (AAS) and chemical reaction rate models, were tested to investigate the adsorption mechanisms. The values of rate constants for both the models were found to decrease with increasing As(III) concentrations in the solute. The inverse relationship of rate constants of the reaction rate model with BET surface area showed that As(III) adsorption on SMIOCS was not due to physisorption but to chemisorption. A study of the effect of solute temperature showed that the adsorption of As(III) on SMIOCS media was due to chemisorption. The results of isothermal studies conducted at different pH values showed that adsorption data satisfied both the Langmuir and the Freundlich isotherm models. The adsorption of As(III) on the medium was pH dependent and maximum removal was observed in the pH range of 7–9.