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Little information is available on the removal of antimony from source water during water treatment. However, as antimony is chemically similar to arsenic, the methods used for the removal of arsenic (which can be removed to <5 µg/L from groundwater containing natural arsenic levels as high as 1.0 mg/L using activated alumina columns)24,25could possibly be used for antimony removal.26Coagulation with alum or ferric salts, particularly in the presence of turbidity, may have potential for conventional treatment. Lime softening can very effectively remove antimony from hard waters. The removal will be dependent on the pH and antimony valence. In bench-scale tests, a water-insoluble starch xanthate, which acts as an ion exchange material, has been reported to be effective in removing antimony from wastewater (from 5 mg/L to roughly 0.01 mg/L).8
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