IJSTE - International Journal of Science Technology & Engineering | Volume 3 | Issue 09 | March 2017

ISSN (online): 2349-784X

Iron Removal by Adsorption-A Review

Sanchi S. Dange R.M.Dhoble
Department of Civil Engineering Department of Civil Engineering
GHRCE, Nagpur, India GHRCE, Nagpur, India

Abstract
Iron is the most abundant metal found on Earth and is used for different purposes in the day-to-day life of mankind. Iron is also
an essential constituent of human body which helps for better regulation of the body. Certain amount of Iron is required for both
the male and female body to avoid Iron deficiency in the body, despites this Iron can be harmful for the human body if intake in
larger amounts. The maximum permissible limit of Iron in Drinking Water should be less than 0.3 mg/lit. Excess of Iron may
cause diseases like Alzheimer, Neurodegenerative diseases, Arteriosclerosis, Diabetes mellitus, Cancer (Suspected). The present
paper describes Iron, its uses, harmful effects and its removal by Adsorption.
Keywords: Iron, Adsorption, Water, Earth, Environment
________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I. INTRODUCTION

Water is one of the most essential resources available on the Earth which is already facing scarcity and leading to contamination
due to industrial discharges and several human activities. Metals are naturally occurring elements on Earth. The use of these
metals in industries, domestic, agriculture, medical and technological purposes have resulted to vast exposure of these metals in
the environment. Also ill effects on human health and environment are also observed. The carcinogenic nature of certain metals
has led to gain attention of environmentalists on the ill effects of heavy metal pollution. World Health Organization (WHO)
describes the metals of most immediate concern are Aluminum, Chromium, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, Cadmium,
Mercury, and Lead. The use of low-cost sorbents to remove metals from aqueous solutions has been popularly studied and
implemented. Researchers have claimed adsorption to be easiest, safest and most popular methods for the treatment of aqueous
solutions containing metals.

II. IRON

General
Iron is the second most abundantly found metal in Earth's crust. Iron ions Ferrous( Fe2+) and Ferric(Fe3+) combines with
compounds containing oxygen and sulfur to form oxides, hydroxides, carbonates, and sulfides because of which elemental Iron
is rarely found in nature. Most commonly found form of Iron in nature is its oxides. Iron have a melting point of 1535 C and its
specific gravity is 7.86 at 25 C. Iron (as Fe2+) can be detected by taste in distilled water having concentration 40 g/litre. Iron
concentrations below 0.3 mg/litre were characterized as unnoticeable in well water and the concentration levels of 0.33 mg/litre
were found acceptable (27).The permissible limit of Iron as stated by BIS and WHO is 0.3 mg/lit. Iron is the most widely used
construction material. Food colors are also manufactured from some of the Iron compounds and also Iron deficiency in humans
is treated. Certain Iron salts are used as coagulants in water treatment.

Iron and Its Health Effects

Iron is an essential element in human nutrition. The minimum daily requirement of Iron is about 10 to 50 mg/day and depends on
age, sex, physiological status, and Iron bioavailability of a person. The total amount of body Iron in adults is usually about 50 in
males and 3442 mg/kg in females of body weight. Iron is present in large amounts in body as haemoglobin, myoglobin and
haem-containing enzymes (27). Iron occurs as a natural constituent in plants and animals. The ill effects of toxic doses of Iron
include depression, rapid and shallow respiration, coma, respiratory failure, convulsions and cardiac arrest.

Other health effects

Alzheimer
Neurodegenerative diseases
Arteriosclerosis
Diabetes mellitus
Cancer (Suspected)

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 Iron Removal by Adsorption-A Review
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Standards for Iron concentration in drinking water

Standards Maximum Permissible Limit (mg/lit)
BIS (IS 10500) 0.3
USEPA 0.3
WHO guidelines 0.3, No health based guideline value is proposed

Treatment Methods for Iron

Treatment methods Advantages Disadvantages
Aeration Simple and widely used Not popular in communities lacking piped water supply.
Not popular in communities lacking piped water supply, backwash water is
Filtration Widely used
generated which needs to be treated.
Oxidation by aeration or by using
It is a clean method Oxidation depends on pH of water.
oxidizing agents
Effective and convenient
Ion exchange It is an expensive process.
process
Membrane process High efficiency Membrane fouling; Expensive method.
Affordable and effective
Biological filtration Effectiveness depends upon type of microbe and filter media.
method
Widely used, cost
Adsorption Some adsorbents adsorb microbes poorly; can degrade microbial quality.
effective

Indian Scenario
More than 1.1 lacks habitations in India are facing problem of high concentrations of Iron in ground water. The highest value of
Iron was found in a hand pump at Bhubaneswar which was 49 mg/lit. Contamination of ground water by Iron has been found in
the states of Assam, West Bengal, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka. Localized pockets are observed in states of Bihar, UP,
Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and North Eastern States and also in union
territory of Andaman & Nicobar.

Adsorption method for Iron removal

Adsorption is the process of adhesion of adsorbate on the surface of adsorbent. Adsorption is thus a surface phenomenon more
the surface area of the adsorbent large will be the Adsorption capacity of the adsorbate. Many organic materials like tree leaves,
barks, roots, seed, and shells of seeds, peels of organic material, oil cakes and saw dust obtained from various plants in the form
of powder have been utilized for the removal of metals and heavy metals by adsorption properties and are studied by various
researchers. Iron is a metal which can be easily removed by adsorption process by using different organic and inorganic
materials. Activated carbon is the most widely used adsorbent for Iron removal.

III. LITERATURE REVIEW

Langmuir
Name of Conc. Dose of adsorp. Freundlich
Sr.No. pH Removal eff. (%) Ref.No.
Adsorbent (mg/lit) adsorbent (g) Cap. adsorp.cap.(mg/g)
(mg/g)
Curry tree
1. 25 to 200 5.5 0.25 to 2.25 _ _ >90% 5
carbon
Curry tree
2. 25 to 200 6.0 0.25 to 2.25 _ _ >90% 6
carbon
Mahogany 81% for Cr (III), 80%
3. 0.002 6, 4 0.5 _ _ 4
leaves for Fe (II)
Processed
wooden PWC Bed
charcoal 1.621,2.621
4. 5 5.5 _ _ 50-54% 1
(PWC)
Processed sand PS Bed
(PS) 6.005,11.212
22.22 of
Fe and Fe+2 5.0, 0.0048 and Fe+2 96.3 - 97.3% ,
5. Pine fruit _ 4.824, 14.1 7
57.6 of Cu+2 7.0, 0.0141 Cu+2 94.1-96%
Cu
Recinius
6. Communis 20 5.0 to 7.0 0.05 to 0.5 _ _ 45 to 90 % 3
Linn

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 Iron Removal by Adsorption-A Review
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Modified
7. 10- 100 2 to 10 1 _ _ Ni-7.25,Cu-6.95 8
mangrove bark
Eucalyptus 14.53 to 16.47 at
8. 25300 2 to 5 2 _ _ 2
bark temp. 20 to 50 C
Activated 1,3,5 &
9. 2.0 to 7.0 10 to 150 0.123 - 94.43 to 98.89% 9
carbon 10
0.05-4.0 g/100 96,91,72 and 58% for
10 Tea leaves 5-100 5 _ _ 12
ml Pb>Fe>Zn>Ni
A medium of
Biofilm of 10, 25, (gm/l) 5 of beef
Escherichia 50, 70, extract, 10 of
11 7.2 _ _ 100% for Iron 26
coli supported 80 and peptone and
on NaY zeolite 100 5 of NaCl,1g
NaY zeolite
Typha
12 domingensis 7,10,4,1 2.5 0.5g _ _ _ 13
leaf powder
Husk of tur dal
13 (Cajanus 20-100 2,2.5 1g 96.05 66.63 _ 14
cajan)
Crude Olive 5100mg
14 30 to 70% 15
Stones dm3
4.6,5.1
(cr), A medium
100% (Fe),cadmium
E. coli 10, 25, 2.7,3.5 with(gm/l) 5 of
(70%), nickel 74 -
biofilm 50, 70, (fe), beef extract, 10
15 _ _ 40% and chromium 11
supported on 80, and 5.6,6.0 of peptone and
100% - 20%. Fe >
kaolin 100 (cd) 5 of NaCl,1g of
Cd >Ni > Cr
5.7,6.2 kaolin clay
(ni)

IV. CONCLUSION

Iron is an essential element of nature which possesses various uses to mankind but its presence in drinking water should be
limited to the permissible limits for the safety of human health and environment. Adsorption is proved to be the vastly used
method for the removal of Iron as well as other metals from the aqueous solutions. Although there are several methods available
for the treatment of Iron but, the method adopted for the treatment should be such that it leaves very less amount of adverse
effects on Environment.

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