Iron & Manganese Removal from Groundwater
Both Iron and manganese are undesirable in groundwater because of their effects on the taste and appearance of the water, their ability to cause staining and the health effects of manganese.
Iron and manganese occur naturally in water, especially groundwater. In small quantities neither of the elements causes adverse health effects; they are, in fact, essential to the human diet. However, water containing excessive amounts of iron and manganese can stain clothes, discolour plumbing fixtures, and sometimes add a “rusty” taste and look to the water.
The US Environmental Protection Agency and the Safe Drinking Water Act has established a secondary (aesthetic) standard Maximum Contaminant Level for iron in drinking water of 0.3 ppm; for manganese 0.05 ppm. At present, the US Environmental Protection Agency has not set health standards for either iron or manganese in drinking water. However, a health based standard for manganese is possible as Manganese may affect neurological and muscle function in humans. The Department of Environmental Services, Health Risk Assessment Program has adopted an interim health based standard for manganese of 0.84 mg/L.
Iron and Manganese Removal from Groundwater:
How iron and manganese to be removed from groundwater depends on the type and concentration, and this helps determine the best procedure and treatment system to use. Iron and manganese can be present in water in one of three basic forms: dissolved, particulate and colloidal. The predominance of one form over another is dependent on the water’s pH.
The two most common treatment methods are removal by oxidation/filtration and adsorbing onto ion exchange resins.
Oxidation involves the introduction of an oxidizing agent which chemically reacts with the iron or manganese to form an insoluble particle which can then be physically filtered out through a media bed.
Oxidation can be carried out one of the following methods:
- addition of dissolved chemical oxidants – chlorine, chlorine dioxide and potassium permanganate
- adsorption – green sand media and activated carbon
- aeration – blowing/spraying air through the water
The process of oxidation followed by filtration is fairly easy and is often the treatment of choice.
The use of ion exchange resins for the removal of iron and manganese has limited application due to the requirement that the contaminants be in
dissolved form and at very low levels. This is due to the tendency of oxygen to react with the iron and manganese and therefore, increases the potential for plugging and build up on the resin surface. Iron fouling is a common, and sometimes, irreversible problem with ion exchange treatment.
Treatment technologies for Iron and Manganese Removal from Groundwater:
- Activated Carbon
- Media Filtration
- Chemical Oxidation
- Ion Exchange
- NOW, A New technology, Tuxen NEB, can very efficiently produce
the same results without filtration!
**TUXEN NEB**
This New and unique product will keep Iron and Manganese suspended in solution.
Tuxen NEB is fully biodegradable and very efficient across a broad Temperature and PH Range.
The product can be utilised instead of filtration systems, to render Iron and Manganese inert in solution until natural bacterial action disintegrates all trace of both the chemical and the metal.
Tuxon NEB is used to prevent iron-manganese-calcium deposits from bore water building up and build up in irrigation pipes. With the correct set up it will reduce water hardness. It is free from potassium, phosphorous and chlorine and can also be used for industrial application.
Tuxen NEB:
- Keeps your bore water free from Iron stain
- Keep footpaths and walls free from staining
- Reduces water hardness
- Is environmentally friendly
- Can be mixed with cold and hot water.
- Is recommended at a dosage 1ppm to 1ppm of iron.
- Is delivered by a dosing pump
