Iron coated peat as a sorbent for the simultaneous removal of arsenic and metals from contaminated water

This study aimed at combining peat, an industrial residue, with Fe(II)-Fe(III) compound to produce a sorbent suitable for a simultaneous removal of arsenic (As) and metals (cadmium, copper, nickel, lead, zinc) from a contaminated water. Using a newly produced sorbent – iron-peat – the removal of As from contaminated water was almost 17 times higher than using an uncoated peat. On the other hand, the removal of metals by the iron-peat was slightly less efficient in comparison to the uncoated peat. Simultaneous removal of As and metals could be seen as an advantage over multiple-step treatment of contaminated groundwater.