Separation Technologies for the Removal of Nitrate-Nitrogen from Aqueous Solution

At high nitrate concentrations, water must be treated to meet regulated concentrations because it results in threat to human health and eutrophication of natural water. However, it is almost impossible to remove nitrate by conventional water treatment methods such as coagulation, filtration and precipitation, due to its high water solubility. Therefore, other technologies including adsorption, ion exchange, reverse osmosis, denitrification, and electrodialysis are required to effectively remove nitrate. Each of these technologies has their own strengths and drawbacks and their feasibility is weighted against factors such as cost, water quality improvement, residuals handling, and pre-treatment requirements. An adsorption technique is the most popular and common process because of its cost effectiveness, ease of operation, and simplicity of design. Surface modifications of adsorbents have been enhanced their adsorption of nitrate. The nitrate-selective membrane process of electrodialysis reversal and reverse osmosis have proven over time and at many locations to be highly effective in removing nitrate contaminating problems in aqueous solutions. Both electrodiaysis and reverse osmosis methods generate highly concentrated wastes and need careful consideration with respect to disposal.