Pesticides Removal by Filtration over Cactus Pear Leaves: A Cheap and Natural Method for Small-Scale Water Purification in Semi-Arid Regions

Gebrekidan, Abraha;Nicolai, Hannah;Vincken, Liese;Teferi, Mekone;Van der Bruggen, Bart;et.al.
(2013) CLEAN - Soil, Air, Water (Print): a journal of sustainability and environmental safety — Vol. 41, n° 3, p. 235-243 (2013)

Files

CleanSoilAirWater4132013235-243.pdf
  • Restricted Access
  • Adobe PDF
  • 255.44 KB
Request a copy

Details

Authors
  • Gebrekidan, AbrahaMekelle University, Ethiopia - KU Leuven, Belgium
    Author
  • Nicolai, HannahKU Leuven, Belgium
    Author
  • Vincken, LieseKU Leuven, Belgium
    Author
  • Teferi, MekoneKU Leuven, Belgium - Mekelle University, Ethiopia
    Author
  • Luis Alconero, PatriciaUCLouvain
    Author
  • Van der Bruggen, BartKU Leuven, Belgium
    Author
Show more
Abstract
This study aims to examine the efficiency of Opuntia ficus-indica for removing organochlorine pesticides from surface waters. Adsorption properties such as size, dose, and time of O. ficus-indica for aldrin, dieldrin, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)were studied through stirring and column methods. Because of their high affinity and swelling characteristics, dried O. ficus-indica was studied in stirring while fresh unpeeled O. ficus-indica was applied in both stirring and column experiments and proved to be well-suited to column application. Before removing pesticides, the column was flashed with distilled water eliminate the turbidity and smell from fresh unpeeled cactus. The removal of pesticides increased with an increasing adsorbent dose and decreased with adsorbent particle sizes. The optimum adsorbent dose is 10 g for dried and 15 g for fresh unpeeled O. ficus-indica. The experimental results show that O. ficus-indica possesses strong adsorption ability for aldrin, dieldrin, and DDT, and the adsorption isotherm data obeyed the Freundlich model. The results of our small-scale experiments suggest a strong potential to develop local small-scale water treatment units that can be used at the level of individual households or local communities, using a widely available adsorbent.
Affiliations

Citations

  • APA
  • Chicago
  • FWB

Gebrekidan, A., Nicolai, H., Vincken, L., Teferi, M., Asmelash, T., Dejenie, T., Zerabruk, S., Gebrehiwet, K., Bauer, H., Deckers, J., Luis Alconero, P., De Meester, L., & Van der Bruggen, B. (2013). Pesticides Removal by Filtration over Cactus Pear Leaves: A Cheap and Natural Method for Small-Scale Water Purification in Semi-Arid Regions. CLEAN - Soil, Air, Water (Print): a journal of sustainability and environmental safety, 41(3), 235-243. https://doi.org/10.1002/clen.201200042 (Original work published 2013)