Abstract
Jordanian oil shale ash was used as an adsorbent for the removal of copper and zinc from aqueous solution. This ash was treated with either hydrochloric, nitric, sulfuric or phosphoric acids followed by washing and/or neutralization with sodium hydroxide in order to enhance its adsorption capacity. The sample that was treated with nitric acid showed the highest cation exchange capacity (CEC) of 146 meq/100 g, while the one that was treated with sulfuric acid showed a value of 32 meq/100 g. Different adsorption isotherm data for both copper and zinc were obtained using the nitric acid-treated sample at different pH values. Freundlich and BET models were used to fit the experimental data, which showed that BET best-fitted these data. The separation factor for these isotherms shows unfavorable adsorption type at lower pH value.
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