Magnetic Removal of Surfactants from Wastewater Using Magnetite and Hematite Powders

With respect to the problematic of the removal of the surfactants (which are major constituents of detergents as their role is to remove dirt), the physical and chemical processes already used for the industry wastewater treatments are effective, but unfortunately they turns out to be not economic in the depuration of urban wastewater, because of the high flow rates and low concentrations unlike the industry ones. The magnetic separation could be applicable to the urban flow rates and concentrations and the time necessary for the removal are in the correct range for a finishing section of a wastewater plant. The aim of this work is the study of a sustainable process for the treatment of urban wastewater able to reach surfactant concentrations near to the back-ground levels or, at least, lower than the values allowed by law for a reuse in agriculture. The considered process is based on the adsorption of surfactants (water diluted) on commercial iron oxides powders and their removal in a magnetic filtration system.