REMOVAL OF BACTERIA AND TURBIDITY FROM WATER BY CHEMICALLY TREATED MANGANESE AND IRON-ORES

Manganese ore (pyrolusite) and iron ore (haematite), both raw and chem ically treated with ferric hydroxide, alum, lime, or manganese dioxide , were subjected to batch sorption and downflow column tests to assess their capacity to remove the enteric bacterium Escherichia coli and c lay turbidity from water. Lime or alum treated manganese ore appeared promising as medium for use in low-cost household water filters. In fi ltration of a polluted canal water (heterotrophic bacteria 400-1000 CF U/mL, E. coli 100-400 CFU/mL and turbidity 30-40 NTU), these media sho wed excellent filtrate characteristics (heterotrophic bacteria 1-4 CFU /mL, E. coli not detected and turbidity 2.5 NTU).