Dear P. James Strong,

The following methods and techniques are used to remove bromide and bromate from waste water:

1- Removal techniques of halides, bromide and iodide have been broadly classified into three categories, namely; membrane, electrochemical and adsorptive techniques. Reverse osmosis, nanofiltration and electrodialysis membrane techniques are reviewed. The electrochemical techniques discussed are electrolysis, capacitive deionization and membrane capacitive deionization. Studies on bromide and iodide removal using adsorptive techniques including; layered double hydroxides, impregnated activated carbons, carbon aerogels, ion exchange resins, aluminium coagulation and soils are also assessed. 

Strategies for the removal of halides from drinking water sources, and their applicability in disinfection by-product minimisation: a critical review

K. Watson1 , M. J. Farré2 , N. Knight

http://www98.griffith.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/handle/10072/48261/79981_1.pdf?sequence=1

2-Electrochemical oxidation: solid graphite electrodes selectively oxidizes bromide to bromine in flowback water and produces water from a shale gas operation in Southwestern PA. The bromine can then be outgassed from the solution and recovered, as a process well understood in the bromine industry.

Water Res. 2013 Jul 1;47(11):3723-31. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2013.04.041. Epub 2013 Apr 30.

Selective oxidation of bromide in wastewater brines from hydraulic fracturing.

Sun M1, Lowry GV, Gregory KB.

Author information

Abstract

Brines generated from oil and natural gas production, including flowback water and produced water from hydraulic fracturing of shale gas, may contain elevated concentrations of bromide (~1 g/L). Bromide is a broad concern due to the potential for forming brominated disinfection byproducts (DBPs) during drinking water treatment. Conventional treatment processes for bromide removal is costly and not specific. Selective bromide removal is technically challenging due to the presence of other ions in the brine, especially chloride as high as 30-200 g/L. This study evaluates the ability of solid graphite electrodes to selectively oxidize bromide to bromine in flowback water and produced water from a shale gas operation in Southwestern PA. The bromine can then be outgassed from the solution and recovered, as a process well understood in the bromine industry. This study revealed that bromide may be selectively and rapidly removed from oil and gas brines (~10 h(-1) m(-2) for produced water and ~60 h(-1) m(-2) for flowback water). The electrolysis occurs with a current efficiency between 60 and 90%, and the estimated energy cost is ~6 kJ/g Br. These data are similar to those for the chlor-alkali process that is commonly used for chlorine gas and sodium hydroxide production. The results demonstrate that bromide may be selectively removed from oil and gas brines to create an opportunity for environmental protection and resource recovery.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23726709

http://www.water.ca.gov/irwm/grants/docs/Archives/Prop84/Submitted_Applications/P84_Round1_Implementation/Castaic%20Lake%20Water%20Agency/CLWA-2%20References/CLWA.2-3_kimrough-suffet.bromide.aqua.2006.pdf

https://faculty.ce.cmu.edu/lowry/files/2014/06/sun-et-al-2013-Bromide-oxidaiton.pdf

3-Bromate Reduction to Bromide in a Hydrogen-Oxidizing Bioreactor 

Abstract

Sustained biological bromate (BrO3-) reduction was demonstrated in a hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR). With 1 mg/L bromate and 5 mgN/L nitrate in the influent, the effluent bromate was 0.12 mg/L and the bromate flux was 1.1 g BrO3 - -m-2-day-1. When influent bromate was increased to 4 mg/L, the effluent bromate was 3.5 mg/L with a flux of 0.92 g BrO3 --m -2-day-1. In both experiments, nitrate was fully reduced to below detection, and bromide (Br- ) was produced stoichiometrically from bromate. When nitrate was excluded from the influent, bromate initially was reduced from 4 mg/L to 3.4 mg/L, but gradually fell to below

2 mg/L. Sustained bromate reduction in the absence of nitrate suggests that hydrogen oxidizing, bromate-reducing bacteria may exist. An additional test was run with 100 µg/L bromate, closer to typical bromate concentrations in drinking water, and 5 mgN/L nitrate. The effluent was well below the 10 µg/L drinking water standard, suggesting that the MBfR may be suitable for concurrently reducing bromate and nitrate in drinking water.

http://www3.nd.edu/~rnerenbe/Downing_&_Nerenberg_Bromate_Reduction.pdf

4-REMEDIATION OF BROMATE CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER 

Bromate (BrO3") is a by-product formed at concentrations of 0.4 - 60 µg L'' during

potable water ozonation. Following World Health Organisation designation as a `possible human' carcinogen, a 10 pg L" drinking water limit was introduced in England and Wales. Discovery of bromate contamination within a UK aquifer highlighted a knowledge gap, addressed by this project, relating to environmental behaviour and groundwater remediation.

Following selection of an anion analysis strategy utilising Ion Chromatography (IC),

bromate behaviour in wastewater was investigated as contaminated groundwater ingress to treatment processes was deemed possible. Respiration of wastewater biomass was unaffected by spiking of < 200 mg Ul bromate or bromide, with pilot-scale process dosing trials (S 100 mg L') using a Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) also exhibiting little negative effect following biomass acclimation.

Bromate reduction to bromide was observed in a continuous-flow suspended growth chemostat bioreactor at retention times of 20 -80 hours. A biological mechanism was confirmed in this system, with reduction mediated by indigenous groundwater bacteria following glucose addition. Bromate reduction rates were initially low (5 27.8 pg U' hr 1), but acclimation increased rates to > 1000 pg L" hr t. An alteration in microbial composition was noted over this period, from a denitrifying `co-metabolic' culture to predomination of `high-rate' specific bromate degraders. Operational parameters including pH, temperature, carbon source, influent bromate and glucose, and retention times were investigated, with all parameters apart from pH shown to affect bromate reduction rates. For example increased bromate influent enhanced reduction rate, although potentially toxic effects were noted with an influent > 75 - 80 mg L"'. Batch studies suggested glucose was rapidly fermented (< 48 hours) by the microbial consortium. Nitrate was also rapidly removed (< 4 hours), with sulphate reduction only following removal of bromate. A fixedfilm

pilot-scale bioreactor system, seeded with biomass from the chemostat culture,

reduced > 90% of a 1.1 mg L"1 bromate influent within unspiked contaminated

groundwater. Plating studies were successful in producing a range of isolates from the mixed chemostat culture. Overall the project demonstrated, for the first time, continuous remediation of bromate groundwater contamination within a bioreactor system.

https://encrypted.google.com/search?newwindow=1&q=related:https://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/bitstream/1826/3533/1/Raymond_Butler_Thesis_2005.pdf+to+remove+Bromide/bromate+from+wastewater&tbo=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj7nb3P2MTNAhWKORQKHUyjDKYQHwhXMAc

5-Removal by advanced water treatment system

http://www.nilim.go.jp/lab/bcg/siryou/tnn/tnn0264pdf/ks0264039.pdf

6-Removal by ODTM clay micelles complex and activated carbon

Some removal treatments include anion exchange and ammonia impregnated granular activated carbon (GAC).

Karaman et al & Nir et al.

http://www.watertechonline.com/contaminant-of-the-month-bromate/

Hoping this will be helpful,

Rafik

Please check the pdf attachment for said query.

Dear P. James,

There is currently no practical method (I emphasize practical method) for removing water bromate. It was suggested to examine in more detail the assessment of two advanced treatment processes, ion exchange and membrane filtration. Bromate is better controlled in drinking water supplies ozonated limiting its formation, which is a function of the concentration of bromide (above 0.18 mg / L), the source and concentration of organic precursors , pH, temperature, alkalinity and the ozone dose. For example, one can obtain a bromate formation of reduction by reducing the pH below 8 by adding ammonia or by controlling the ozone reaction time, and the ozone ratio / dissolved organic carbon. These and other have both advantages and disadvantages: a low pH, reducing the formation of bromate, increases the formation of bromoform and other brominated organic by-products, in addition to being undesirable from the viewpoint of controlling corrosion; adding ammonia generates the conversion of HOBr in monobromamine, which in turn may be oxidized to nitrate. Given the large number of factors that play a role in the formation of bromate, it will be necessary to optimize treatment by balancing the advantages and disadvantages of the different measures for each of the treatment facilities.

With my best regards

Prof. Bachir ACHOUR

Pr. Strong,

There has been some success with electrolytic oxidation and volatilization of bromide.  Bromide is readily oxidized to bromine by electrolysis (2Br- ->Br2 + 2e-) on an anodic  surface.  If sufficient current is applied, water will also be oxidized at the anode surface to oxygen gas and hydrogen ions, lowering the pH dramatically (2H2O -> O2 + 4H+ + 4 e-).  At low pH Br2 is quite volatile and the oxygen gas formed will volatilize.  The Water Research Foundation funded two projects examining this technology (Electrochemical Reactor for Minimizing Brominated DBPs in Drinking Water - Web Report #4216 2012 and (3182), “An Electrolytic Reactor to Minimize Brominated DBPs: Impact on Coagulation and Ozonation”, 2006)

Recently , the method of bio-adsorbent for removing bromide has been studied and using agricultural and fruit and vegetable processing waste materials as an innovative and auspicious technology is followed.

If you are interested in this issue please write me to introduce some research articles.The only disadvantage of this method is the low percentage of removal.

Dear James,

I am afraid I have to agree with Professor Bachir Achour.

I would go even further according to a recent review of Water Quality Group at Western Sydney University there is no practical bromide removal process for bromide from drinking water.

This is  bit surprising  and definitely there is a significant need for it as bromide exhibits negative health impact  on delivered drinking water.

Regards

george