Abstract

This study investigates the sorption of heavy metallic ions (HMIs), specifically lead (Pb2+), copper (Cu2+), iron (Fe3+), nickel (Ni2+) and zinc (Zn2+), by natural zeolite (clinoptilolite). These HMIs are combined in single-, dual-, triple-, and multi-component systems. The batch mode experiments consist of a total initial concentration of 10 meq/L normality for all systems, acidified to a pH of 2 by concentrated nitric (HNO3) acid. A zeolite dosage of 4 g per 100 mL of synthetic nitrate salt aqueous solution is applied, for a contact period of 5 to 180 min. Existing kinetic models on HMIs sorption are limited for multi-component system combinations. Therefore, this study conducts kinetic analysis by both reaction and diffusion models, to quantify the sorption process. The study concludes that the process correlates best with the pseudo-second-order (PSO) kinetic model. In the multi- component system combining all five HMIs, the initial sorption rate and theoretical equilibrium capacity are determined as 0.0033 meq/g.min and 0.1159 meq/g, respectively. This provides significant insight into the mechanisms associated with the sorption process, as well as contributing to the assessment of natural zeolite as a sorbent material in its application in industrial wastewater treatment. Keywords: sorption; kinetics; modelling; natural zeolite; heavy metallic ions; ICP-AES

Highlights

  • Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a primary source of contamination, as waterways are prone to both the direct and unintended discharge of mineral mining and processing effluent [1]

  • The objective of the current study is to investigate the use of kinetic modelling to study the rate of the overall sorption process of five commonly occurring heavy metallic ions (HMIs), lead (Pb2+ ), copper (Cu2+ ), iron (Fe3+ ), nickel (Ni2+ ) and zinc (Zn2+ ), by natural zeolite

  • Previous research conducted by Ciosek and Luk [32] investigates the selective interaction of natural zeolite with HMIs, with the explicit focus of the sorption of the lead (Pb2+ ) ion; both quantitatively and qualitatively

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Summary

Introduction

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is a primary source of contamination, as waterways are prone to both the direct and unintended discharge of mineral mining and processing effluent [1]. AMD is formed by the oxidization of an iron sulphide (pyrite), and possess a low pH level, high specific conductivity, high concentrations of iron, aluminium and manganese, and trace amounts of toxic heavy metals. The bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans has been reported to accelerate the oxidation process of various metal sulphides, depending on the pH level of the aqueous solution in the mine [2]. The presence of these heavy metallic ions (HMIs) is a threat to the peripheral environment and the ecological system. The proficiency and demand for proper evaluation and predication of water quality has grown, in order to protect the surrounding water resources [8,9]

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