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Nitrate contamination of shallow, private wells in Florida is an emerging problem to homeowners who rely on groundwater as their only potable water source. A recent survey (1990) conducted by the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation (FDER) revealed that 306 out of 1369 private wells sampled, primarily in Central Florida, were found to have excessive levels of nitrate, generally ranging from 15 to 35 mg/L. Fertilizer from citrus production is thought to be the major contributor. In order to correct the nitrate contamination problem, FDER funded a research project to look for solutions on a small scale, i.e., investigating the feasibility of point of use (POU) systems for nitrate removal. This paper describes the results from the nitrate removal project using cellulose triacetate (CTA) and thin film composite (TFC) reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. The nitrate rejection for six different commercial POU RO systems was determined in a laboratory and field environment. A cost analysis was made for these POU RO systems, based on price quotes from the system manufacturers and data collected from field operation.

Product Details

Published: 01/01/1993 ISBN(s): 0898677076 Number of Pages: 18File Size: 1 file , 580 KB