Abstract
Modified pyrite (MPy), which was obtained from calcination in an N2 atmosphere, was used as a sorbent for removing Hg(II) from aqueous solutions. Fixed-bed column experiments were conducted to determine the Hg(II) removal ability of MPy from aqueous solutions. MPy was found to be much better than natural pyrite for mercury removal. The concentration of Hg(II) in effluents was much lower than that of the emission standard used for Hg wastewater in China (0.05 mg/L), and the removal efficiency of Hg(II) was greater than 99% before breakthrough. When the capacity was 3274 times the column bed volume (1 bed volume = 25.12 cm3), the column breakthrough and the sorption amount of Hg(II) were 54.44 mg/g. The Hg(II) content in the used MPy sorbent was up to 24.79%. The mechanism was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), field emission transmission electron microscopy (FE-TEM), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The main mechanism of Hg(II) removal by MPy was the chemical reactions between mercury ions and mineral fillers, and HgS precipitated on the surface of MPy to remove Hg(II). The reaction was also accompanied by surface complexation and adsorption. The results of this work show that MPy can be used as a sorbent for continuous Hg(II) removal.
Highlights
Mercury is a hazardous contaminant in wastewater and poses a serious threat to both the environment and public health
Several former experiments conducted by the authors have confirmed the high potential for use Modified pyrite (MPy) as efficient adsorbent in heavy metal treatments, both in batch and column experiments
Two glass pipe columns of 60 cm height and 10 mm inner diameter were used to perform the ExperimentsThe column was filled to the height of 5 cm from the bottom with broken sorption experiments
Summary
Mercury is a hazardous contaminant in wastewater and poses a serious threat to both the environment and public health. Numerous treatment technologies commonly used to remove mercury by multiple techniques, such as ion exchange, adsorption, electro-deposition and biological processes have been well developed [11,12,13,14,15]. Among these methods, adsorption was the most widely used because it is cost-effective. Several former experiments conducted by the authors have confirmed the high potential for use MPy (modified pyrite) as efficient adsorbent in heavy metal treatments, both in batch and column experiments.
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