A Novel Extractant for the Selective Removal of Arsenic from Industrial Wastewaters

The combustion of fossil fuels, particularly coal, introduces large quantities of arsenic into the environment, much of which reaches natural waters. Acute arsenic poisoning results from ingestion of only 100 mg of the element, while chronic poisoning occurs with the continued ingestion of smaller amounts. Processes developed for arsenic removal from drinking water are appropriate for small volumes of water with low levers of dissolved and suspended solids, are only feasible when competing anions such as sulfates or chlorides are absent, and, therefore, are too expensive for the treatment of industrial wastewaters.