Abstract
The removal efficiency of Cu(II) in aqueous solution by bentonite, graphene oxide (GO), and nanoscale iron decorated on bentonite (B-nZVI) and nanoscale iron decorated on bentonite/graphene oxide (GO-B-nZVI) was investigated. The results indicated that GO-B-nZVI had the best removal efficiency in different experimental environments (with time, pH, concentration of copper ions, and temperature). For 16 hours, the removal efficiency of copper ions was 82% in GO-B-nZVI, however, it was 71% in B-nZVI, 26% in bentonite, and 18% in GO. Bentonite, GO, B-nZVI, and GO-B-nZVI showed an increased removal efficiency of copper ions with the increase of pH under a certain pH range. The removal efficiency of copper ions by GO-B-nZVI first increased and then fluctuated slightly with the increase of temperature, while B-nZVI and bentonite increased and GO decreased slightly with the increase of temperature. Lorentz-Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) images showed the nZVI particles of GO-B-nZVI dispersed evenly with diameters ranging from 10 to 86.93 nm. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images indicated that the nanoscale iron particles were dispersed evenly on bentonite and GO with no obvious agglomeration. The qe,cal (73.37 mg·g−1 and 83.89 mg·g−1) was closer to the experimental value qe,exp according to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The qm of B-nZVI and GO-B-nZVI were 130.7 mg·g−1 and 184.5 mg·g−1 according to the Langmuir model.
Highlights
The rapid development of industry has exerted an influence on the ecological environment, with a great deal of land and water resources being polluted by human production
The results indicated that iron nanoparticles nanoparticles played a leading role in the removal of Cu(II), bentonite and graphene oxide played a leading role in the removal of Cu(II), bentonite and graphene oxide played a role played a role in dispersing the nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles
The study investigated the applicability of nanoscale zero-valent iron decorated on bentonite/graphene oxide (GO-B-nZVI) as an adsorbent to remove copper ions in aqueous solutions
Summary
The rapid development of industry has exerted an influence on the ecological environment, with a great deal of land and water resources being polluted by human production. Many methods can be adopted to remove heavy metal ions from polluted water including ions exchange, chemical precipitation, biosorption, infiltration, electrolysis, membrane separation, mineral adsorption, and so on [2,3,4,5,6,7]. These methods have the disadvantages of a long treatment cycle, high cost, and are only suitable for the treatment of low concentrations of metal ion contaminated wastewater
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