Chapter 12
Field Study III: Evidence Gained from Site
Studies for the Performance of Ferrate(VI)
in Water and Wastewater Treatment
Jia-Qian Jiang
Abstract The work presented in this chapter was to validate whether ferrate(VI) can
be used as an alternative to the existing coagulant (e.g., ferric chloride) for both
drinking water and domestic sewage treatment via a series of pilot-plant trials. For
drinking water treatment, a ferrate(VI) dose of 0.1 mg/L can achieve 93% and 97%
particle removal (in terms of particle counting) after the filtration for the raw water
and for the ozonized water, respectively, which is satisfactory to the treated water
quality demand for the particle removal. Moreover, ferrate(VI) can remove 10%
metformin, benzotriazole and acesulfame from raw water, but FeCl 3 with ozonation
cannot. When treating domestic sewage at pilot-scale trials, ferrate(VI) demonstrated
encouraging performance as well; at a very low dose range, 0.1–0.2 mg Fe
(VI) /L,
ferrate(VI) achieved better performance in comparison with high-dosed ferric sulfate. This will reduce chemical demand and sludge production, and, therefore, it
results in a low operating cost and substantial cost saving in treating sewage.
Keywords BOD removal · Coagulation · COD removal · Drinking water treatment ·
Ferrate(VI) · Micropollutant reduction · Particle removal · Phosphorus removal ·
Sewage treatment
12.1 Introduction
Ferrate(VI) is a very strong oxidant. Under acidic conditions, the redox potential of
ferrate(VI) ions is 2.2 V, which is well compatible with that of ozone (2.0 V) (Jiang
and Lloyd 2002). Exploration of the use of ferrate(VI) for water and wastewater
treatment has been addressed (Jiang 2007, 2014; Jiang and Lloyd 2002; Sharma
2002; Sharma et al. 2015). The studies revealed that ferrate(VI) can disinfect
microorganisms, partially degrade and/or oxidize organic and inorganic impurities,
J.-Q. Jiang (*)
Department of Civil Engineering & Environmental Management, SCEBE, Glasgow Caledonian
University, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
e-mail: jiaqian.jiang@gcu.ac.uk
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
J. Filip et al. (eds.), Advanced Nano-Bio Technologies for Water and Soil Treatment,
Applied Environmental Science and Engineering for a Sustainable Future,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29840-1_12
289
Field Study III: Evidence Gained from Site
Studies for the Performance of Ferrate(VI)
in Water and Wastewater Treatment
Jia-Qian Jiang
Abstract The work presented in this chapter was to validate whether ferrate(VI) can
be used as an alternative to the existing coagulant (e.g., ferric chloride) for both
drinking water and domestic sewage treatment via a series of pilot-plant trials. For
drinking water treatment, a ferrate(VI) dose of 0.1 mg/L can achieve 93% and 97%
particle removal (in terms of particle counting) after the filtration for the raw water
and for the ozonized water, respectively, which is satisfactory to the treated water
quality demand for the particle removal. Moreover, ferrate(VI) can remove 10%
metformin, benzotriazole and acesulfame from raw water, but FeCl 3 with ozonation
cannot. When treating domestic sewage at pilot-scale trials, ferrate(VI) demonstrated
encouraging performance as well; at a very low dose range, 0.1–0.2 mg Fe
(VI) /L,
ferrate(VI) achieved better performance in comparison with high-dosed ferric sulfate. This will reduce chemical demand and sludge production, and, therefore, it
results in a low operating cost and substantial cost saving in treating sewage.
Keywords BOD removal · Coagulation · COD removal · Drinking water treatment ·
Ferrate(VI) · Micropollutant reduction · Particle removal · Phosphorus removal ·
Sewage treatment
12.1 Introduction
Ferrate(VI) is a very strong oxidant. Under acidic conditions, the redox potential of
ferrate(VI) ions is 2.2 V, which is well compatible with that of ozone (2.0 V) (Jiang
and Lloyd 2002). Exploration of the use of ferrate(VI) for water and wastewater
treatment has been addressed (Jiang 2007, 2014; Jiang and Lloyd 2002; Sharma
2002; Sharma et al. 2015). The studies revealed that ferrate(VI) can disinfect
microorganisms, partially degrade and/or oxidize organic and inorganic impurities,
J.-Q. Jiang (*)
Department of Civil Engineering & Environmental Management, SCEBE, Glasgow Caledonian
University, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
e-mail: jiaqian.jiang@gcu.ac.uk
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
J. Filip et al. (eds.), Advanced Nano-Bio Technologies for Water and Soil Treatment,
Applied Environmental Science and Engineering for a Sustainable Future,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29840-1_12
289