Physical and chemical treatments for removal of perchlorate from water–A review

Perchlorate, which could not be easily degraded in the environment, is a persistent inorganic pollutant in water with high water-solubility, diffusivity, and stability. Its pollution has become a global environmental problem. Perchlorate in surface water and groundwater can keep in food and drinking water by various ways, which may cause a series of healthy problems in human body. Physical and chemical treatments are the technologies commonly used to remove perchlorate from water. This review begins with the existing treatments of perchlorate in water, then describes the perchlorate pollution status in different countries and its hazard for human being. In addition, the key findings of technologies and materials of physical and chemical treatments on perchlorate removal from water up to now are systematically summarized, and also the following research findings in recent years are elaborated in detail, such as the key findings, mechanisms, influencing factors, advantages and disadvantages. In particular, a novel material of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) which is used to remove perchlorate, is also presented. The coated nZVI introduced in this paper is superior for treating high-concentration perchlorate. This overall summary of the technologies and materials currently used can guide future studies on the removal of perchlorate from water.