Sains Malaysiana 39(1)(2010): 51–55

 

Removal of Aluminium from Drinking Water

(Penyingkiran Aluminium daripada Air Minum)

 

Mohamad Nasir Othman*

School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology

Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor D.E., Malaysia

 

Md. Pauzi Abdullah & Yang Farina Abd. Aziz

Centre for Water Research and Analysis (ALIR), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor D.E., Malaysia

 

Received: 17 February 2009 / Accepted: 14 May 2009

 

 

ABSTRACT

 

Aluminium in drinking water comes from natural sources and the alum used as coagulant in the water treatment process. Exposure to aluminium has been implicated in dialysis dementia, Parkinson and Alzheimer's disease. Drinking water containing aluminium was considered to be one of the main sources of Al intake into human body. For this reason, the removal of aluminium from drinking water is vital to our health. In this study, removal of aluminium was carried out by using a chelating resin. To achieve the purpose, two chelating resin iontosorb oxin (IO) and polyhydroxamic acid (PHA) were used. The effects of concentration, pH, stirring time and resin amount was investigated. The concentration range varied between 10 and 500 ppb, pH range was between 2 and 12, stirring time between 5 and 60 minutes, and resin amount between 100 and 1500 mg. The optimum conditions of these resins were determined in a batch system. The results obtained showed that the optimum condition to remove aluminium for polyhydroxamic acid and iontosorb was pH 5-8 and pH 4-9; concentration range between 50-500 ppb, and 150-500 ppb, resin amount 200 mg and the stirring time was 20 minutes, respectively.

 

Keywords: Aluminium; drinking water; iontosorb oxin (IO); polyhydroxamic acid

 

ABSTRAK

 

Aluminium di dalam air minum berpunca daripada sumber semula jadi dan alum yang digunakan sebagai pengental dalam proses rawatan air. Pendedahan kepada aluminium boleh mengakibatkan penyakit dialisis dementia, Parkinson dan Alzheimer. Air minuman yang mengandungi aluminium telah dikenalpasti sebagai salah satu sumber utama bagi pengambilan aluminium ke dalam tubuh manusia. Atas alasan ini, penyingkiran aluminium daripada air minum mestilah dilakukan untuk menjaga kesihatan kita. Dalam kajian ini, penyingkiran aluminium telah dilakukan dengan menggunakan resin pengkelat. Untuk itu, dua jenis resin pengkelat iaitu iontosorb oxin (IO) and asid polihidroksamik (PHA) telah digunakan. Kajian terhadap kesan kepekatan, pH, masa pengacauan dan jumlah resin telah dilakukan. Julat kepekatan yang digunakan diubah antara 10 hingga 500 ppb, julat pH antara 2 hingga 12, masa pengacauan antara 5 hingga 60 minit dan jumlah resin antara 100 hingga 1500 mg. Penentuan keadaan optimum bagi resin-resin ini telah ditentukan di dalam sistem batch. Keputusan yang diperoleh menunjukkan bahawa keadaan optimum untuk menyingkirkan aluminium untuk PHA dan IO adalah pH 5-8 dan pH 4-9; julat kepekatan antara 50-500 ppb bagi PHA, dan 150-500 ppb bagi IO, jumlah resin 200 mg dan masa pengacauan adalah 20 minit bagi setiap satunya.

 

Kata kunci: Air minum; aluminium; asid polihidroksamik

 

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*Corresponding author; email: nasirothman@yahoo.com