Trace Metals in Water Purification Processes

Abstract

The heavy pollution of many inland waterways, with respect to the amount as well as to the variety of the contaminants, has put the water supply utilities in an increasingly difficult situation. It has basically been shown that “every type of fresh water recovery from surface waters is accompanied by problems that increase overproportionally to the actual pollutant load of the used water” (Haberer, 1975). Special problems arise when water is scarce even though the pollution intensity may be relatively low; such a situation is found mainly in arid areas.