Arsenic in Bolivian drinking water: Effect of salinity on filter performance

摘要

Recent studies on ground and surface water in the Oruro district on the Bolivian altiplano revealed elevated arsenic (As) concentrations, ranging up to 3 mg/L. Some of this water is being used as drinking water. Intake of drinking water with elevated As concentrations can lead to cancer in the longer term (Sambu & Wilson, 2008). Several methods have been developed to remove As from drinking water. Some of these were designed to be technically and economically feasible for use in rural communities. Salinity of water used for consumption on the Bolivian altiplano can be very high in comparison to other regions in the world. It has been reported that efficiencies of methods to remove As could be affected by salinity due to competition of anionic ligands for adsorption to the filter medium.