Effects of fluoride on the removal of cadmium and phosphate by aluminum coagulation

This study focuses on the effects of p H and fluoride at different molar ratios of fluoride to Al(R F:Al) on the removal of cadmium(Cd2+) and phosphate by Al coagulation. Fluoride at R F:Al≥ 3:1 inhibits the removal of Cd over wide Al dose ranges from 5 to 10 mg/L as Al. The removal of phosphate decreases significantly at high R F:Al of 10:1 whereas at lowered R F:Al(i.e., ≤ 6:1), an adverse effect is observed only at insufficient Al doses below 2 mg/L. Fluoride shows inhibitive effects towards the removal of Cd at p H 7 and 8 and that of phosphate at p H 6. Fluoride decreases the ζ-potential in both systems, and the decreasing extent is positively correlated to the elevated R F:Al. The Al fluoride interactions include the formation of Al–F complexes and the adsorption of fluoride onto Al(OH)3precipitates, i.e., the formation of Al(OH)n F m. Al–F complex formation inhibits Al hydrolysis and increases residual Al levels, and a more significant increase was observed at lower p H. Al–F complexes at high R F:Al complicate the coagulation behavior of Al towards both negative and positive ionic species. Moreover, fluoride at low R F:Al shows little effect on Al coagulation behavior towards Cd2+and phosphate, and the spent defluoridation adsorbent,i.e., aluminum(Al) hydro(oxide) with adsorbed fluoride at R F:Al of below 0.1:1, may be reclaimed as a coagulant after being dissolved.