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Arsenic Species in the Ground Water
Citation:
Sorg, T. Arsenic Species in the Ground Water. Presented at AWWA Inorganics Workshop, Sacramento, CA, February 05 - 06, 2013.
Impact/Purpose:
Abstract being submitted for presentation at AWWA Inorganic Contaminants Symposium Workshop, February, 5-6, 2013
Description:
Abstract Arsenic concentrations in ground varies widely and regionally across the United States and exists as oxyanions having two oxidation states: As(+III) and As(+V). As(V) is effectively removed by most arsenic treatment processes whereas uncharged As(III) is poorly removed, thus, arsenic speciation is important in the selection and design of a treatment system. USEPA has conducted arsenic speciation on 65 five well waters scatted across the US. These wells were either part of the USEPA Arsenic Demonstration Program or at USEPA field study sites. Monthly (12- 36 months) speciation tests were conducted at the arsenic demonstration sites. Other water quality parameters were also determined of the well waters and the results examined for any relationship to the arsenic species. The speciation test data showed that most (60) well waters had one dominant specie, but some (5) had a mixture of both. A general pattern was found where As(III) was the dominant form in Midwest ground waters; ground waters that had anoxic conditions and elevated iron concentrations. The well waters in the East, West and Farwest had either As(III) or As(V) as the dominant specie. Monthly (12- 36 months) spectiation tests also found no major temporal changes is species over time.
