Arsenic in drinking water is a major health risk in many places in the world. In this study, arsenic removal by nanofiltration membranes, NF270 and TFC-SR-2, were evaluated under various initial arsenic concentrations, initial feed pH, ionic strength, applied pressure and stirring speed, and co-occurring ions. To model arsenic rejection and understand removal mechanisms, membranes were characterized using potentiometric titration, contact angle measurements, membrane permeability, salt rejection, and pore size characterization. Results indicated that increases in the initial arsenic concentration, pH, and operating pressure and stirring speed led to enhanced As(V) rejections up to 90%. Increasing ionic strength and concentration of co-occurring ions such as sulfate, phosphate, and calcium reduced As(V) rejection. As(V) rejection was likely controlled by charge exclusion. For As(III), rejections were relatively low (less than 40%) and decreased with increasing initial As(III) concentration and ionic strength. The pH did not significantly affect As(III) rejection at pH<9.2. Efforts were made to model both As(III) and As(V) rejections. As(V) rejection data could be well represented by the Donnan-steric-pore model with proper consideration of concentration polarization. For As(III), the calculated rejection based on Spiegler–Kedem–SHP model was significantly higher than experimental data, likely caused by the affinity interaction between arsenite and membranes.
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