Arsenic Adsorption onto Pillared Clays and Iron Oxides

Abstract

Arsenic adsorption was carried out on simple materials such as goethite and amorphous iron hydroxide, and more complex matrices such as clay pillared with titanium(IV), iron(III), and aluminum(III). These matrices were synthesized from a bentonite whose montmorillonitic fraction was pillared according to optimized parameters. These sorbents were characterized by various methods: XRD, FTIR, BET, DTA/TGA, surface acidity, and zetametry. Elimination of arsenite and arsenate as a function of pH was studied. Arsenate elimination was favored at acidic pH, whereas optimal arsenite elimination was obtained at 4<pH<9. For pH values above 10, the pillared clays were damaged and elimination decreased. Equilibrium time and adsorption isotherms were also determined for arsenite and arsenate at each matrix auto-equilibrium pH. Amorphous iron hydroxide had the highest adsorption capacities both towards arsenate and arsenite. Adsorption capacities of goethite and iron- and titanium-pillared clays toward arsenate were similar, but those toward arsenite were different. Desorption experiments from the various matrices were carried out. Iron- and titanium-pillared clays showed a desorption capacity above 95% and around 40% respectively, but no desorption rate could be obtained for iron (hydr)oxides as they were damaged during the process.