ElectroChemical Arsenic Remediation (ECAR)

Target Regions

Central Asia, East Asia, North America, North Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia

Target SDGs

Market Suggested Retail Price

$0.03

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Community

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

Licensed by Luminous Water Technologies; Luminous Water Technologies and UC Berkeley are working together to develop an effective model for ECAR.

Competitive Landscape

Direct competitors include Kanchan Arsenic Filter (KAF).

Manufacturing/Building Method

The ECAR is a conventional aqueous electrolysis process with two submerged electrodes, anode and cathode.

Intellectural Property Type

Patent Protected

User Provision Model

The group behind ECAR aims to create a fully automated water treatment system that takes groundwater through pumping, and purifies it using ECAR. This model would be at the community-level, maintained by locally hired technicians, and supported through educational programming. Each system will be profitable due to the low cost of materials, financially sustainable, and enable community-wide quality control and waste removal.

Distributions to Date Status

Only field trials of prototypes have been carried out.

Design Specifications

The ECAR is a conventional aqueous electrolysis process with two submerged electrodes, anode and cathode. During the electrolysis process, arsenic-III is oxidized at the anode to arsenic-V and simultaneously, iron-III-hydroxide as a coagulant, is generated. The iron-III-hydroxide flocs are active adsorbents for arsenic-V. Arsenic loaded iron flocs are removed by settling and/or filtration.

Product Schematics

Technical Support

The licensee provides support. During the first several implementations, researchers will aid in the process until licensee is capable. Interview with representative

Replacement Components

All parts are locally purchased in India. Interview with representative

Lifecycle

Safe for US landfill disposal; produces 300 g/person/year of waste; A method for incorporating arsenic-laden waste into concrete is being used in China to dispose of arsenic without risk of leaching.

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

Remove arsenic to meet WHO guidelines for arsenic in drinking water of 0.01 mg/L.

Vetted Performance Status

Preliminary testing found that groundwater containing 250 µg/l of Arsenic was consistently reduced to below the WHO maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 µg/l over serveral months. Trivalent Arsenite is oxidized to pentavalent arsenate, allowing it to be adsorbed more strongly. ElectroChemical Arsenic Removal (ECAR) for Rural Bangladesh – Merging Technology with Sustainable Implementation found the ECAR could reduce arsenic levels > 500 ppb to less than 10 ppb (0.01 mg/L) in synthetic and real Bangladesh groundwater samples.

Safety

ECAR produces arsenic-laden iron sludge that must be disposed of appropriately. The technology uses low voltage electricity. ECAR does not require handling of highly acidic or corrosive chemicals for regeneration or cleaning.

Complementary Technical Systems

Coupling of ECAR with a groundwater pump improves value, can reduce total costs, and reduces risk of additional contamination of water. Biological contamination can be removed with the addition of chlorination or UV disinfection. In conjunction with ECAR, use of safe-storage containers is required.

Academic Research and References

Compliance with regulations

Sludge produced passes US EPA standard TCLP test.

Evaluation methods

Field and laboratory testing (see Academic Research above).

Other Information

Youtube Video: Electro-Chemical Arsenic Remediation for South Asia