Water defluoridation by Donnan dialysis and electrodialysis
The purpose of this work was to apply Donnan dialysis (DD) and electrodialysis (ED) for removing fluoride ion from waters where the concentration exceeds acceptable values. The techniques both use ion-exchange membranes but involve different driving forces: the difference in the electrochemical potential on both sides of the membrane for DD and the difference in the electric potential in ED. Both techniques were applied to treat model waters, the compositions of which were very close to those of natural waters contaminated by fluorides. Three standard waters related to three different countries (Maghreb, Senegal and France) were prepared and treated with pre-industrial pilots. The active membrane area was 1760 cm2 for Donnan dialysis, 552 and 2000 cm2 for electrodialysis. Two anion exchange membranes, DSV from Asahi Glass and AFX from Tokuyama Soda, were tested in Donnan dialysis. Three electrodialysis stacks equipped with different anion and cation exchange membranes, AMV-AM1/CMV from Asahi Glass, AMX/CMX and ACS/CMS from Tokuyama Soda, were used. Conductivity, pH and the concentrations of each ionic species were monitored during membrane treatment. The initial fluoride concentration were 9.5, 6.08 and 2.66 mg L-1 in each standard water, respectively. In all cases, despite the presence of different anions (Cl-, HCO3-, SO42-) and cations (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+) generally present in ground waters, a fluoride concentration in agreement to the norms (< 1.5 mg L-1) could be achieved regardless of the composition of the treated waters or the nature of the tested membranes. Electrodialysis decreased the anion and cation concentrations and induced a partial demineralization (about 70%) and consequently a softening of the treated water. On the contrary in Donnan dialysis, due to the electrolyte diffusion from the receiving compartment to the treated solution, the mineralization of the treated water increased slightly (about 10%). In this latter process, the anion concentration declined while no changes were observed in the cation concentration, except for sodium because of the electrolyte leakage. The DSV membrane was the most effective anion exchange membrane to use in DD. In ED, the AMV-AM1/CMV stack was selected on the basis of the demineralization and softening ratio, and the energy consumption. Donnan dialysis, which from an energy consumption point of view is more economical than ED, thus seems more adapted to the treatment of low mineralization waters.