Nitrate adsorption by multiple biomaterial based resins: Application of pilot-scale and lab-scale products

Abstract

Resins produced from pilot-scale tests and lab-scale tests were employed for the adsorption of nitrate from aqueous solutions. All these products were prepared by using virgin wheat stalk and cotton stalk as starting materials. Physicochemical properties of the products were determined after TG, BET surface area, SEM, FTIR and elemental analysis. It was illustrated that nitrate uptake by these products was based on electrostatic attraction. In the static adsorption tests, removal of nitrate by these resins was almost constant for a pH range of 4–10. The maximum adsorption capacities (qmax) of these products for nitrate were in the range of 33.35–50.24mg/g. Products prepared in lab conditions showed relatively higher nitrate uptake as compared with those of pilot-scale products. Desorption efficiencies of the acid elution (HCl) and salt elution (NaCl) in column were between 95% and 98%.