Electrocoagulation of arsenic using iron nanoparticles to treat copper mineral processing wastewater

The arsenic content in wastewater is of major concern in copper mineral processing. Typically, a complex wastewater treatment is needed with a combination of chemical and physical processes. Electrocoagulation (EC) has shown its potential for arsenic removal due to the formation of ferric hydroxide-arsenate precipitates but the acidic conditions in the wastewater disfavours the hydroxide formation. This work evaluates the feasibility of EC combined with addition of zero valent iron nanoparticles in the treatment process.