Adsorption Technology Removes More Than 95 Percent
of Arsenic at EPA Demonstration Site

According to Water Policy International, Ltd., a private consulting firm based in Surrey, England, the state of Michigan has more naturally occurring arsenic than anywhere else in the United States. And the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that as many as 376,000 Michigan citizens in 176 communities may be drinking water with arsenic levels higher than the new EPA standard of 10 parts per billion (ppb).

Results reported from an EPA demonstration site in Brown City, Mich. hold great promise for citizens of the state – and for the hope of finding a cost-effective solution to arsenic in small water systems throughout the country.

Brown City, in the eastern portion of Michigan, is one of 12 sites nationwide chosen to participate in Phase 1 of the EPA’s National Arsenic Treatment Demonstration Project. The project evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of drinking water treatment technologies, process modifications and engineering approaches at various host sites for achieving compliance with the new federal arsenic standard of a maximum contamination level of 10 ppb in drinking water.

On June 22, a press conference was held at the Brown City site to showcase the arsenic removal technology being evaluated – the SORB 33™ arsenic removal technology and Bayoxide® E33 media. SORB 33, developed by Severn Trent Services, was designed to reduce arsenic contamination across a range of water treatment system sizes, and the technology has been commercially proven to effectively and economically meet the stringent new government standards. Bayoxide E33 is a crystalline granular ferric oxide media, designed by Bayer AG, with a high capacity for arsenic.

According to Rich Dennis, separation manager for Severn Trent Services in Tampa, Fl., a high level of interest in arsenic information statewide insured a good turnout at the event. “The arsenic problem in Michigan has been well-covered by the state’s media, particularly in eastern Michigan,” Dennis said. “About 60 people – including representatives of several Michigan utilities and engineering firms as well as state regulators – attended the tour. And a television station and several newspapers also showed interest in the story.”

Prior to implementing the SORB technology, tests showed that the Brown City water contained in excess of 20 ppb of arsenic. According to Battelle, the organization that is monitoring the site on behalf of the EPA, the SORB technology and Bayoxide media are removing more than 95 percent of the arsenic.

“Most of the arsenic at the Brown City site is in the form of arsenic (III), the reduced arsenic form that is most difficult to remove,” Dennis noted. “That makes the results at this site all the more impressive.”

The event was sponsored by Brown City; Hamlett Environmental Technologies, a manufacturers representative for water and wastewater products and engineering systems; Boss Engineering Co., which serves the engineering, surveying and planning needs of public and private sector clients; AdEdge Technologies, a national provider of arsenic treatment system solutions for small water systems; and Severn Trent Services.