Removal of Cd(II) from industrial wastewater using locally available Bentonite Clay

Abstract

Water resources are increasingly polluted by toxic heavy metals such as Cadmium (Cd). Cd is particularly dangerous because it accumulates in living organisms leading to diseases affecting the kidneys, bones and lungs. As a result, researchers have been developing effective techniques to remove harmful heavy metals. Currently, purification techniques in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world are inefficient and costly; thus, the development of a cheap, readily available, and natural material for the removal of Cd is of great interest. This work highlights the adsorptive potential of local Saudi bentonite clay extracted from Khulais region in western Saudi Arabia in the removal of toxic Cd(II) from aqueous solutions. We successfully synthesized bentonite clay beads that can be inserted in columns for filtering purposes. The effects of contact time, bentonite mass, PH, temperature, bentonite treatment (washing and calcinations), and the adsorptive potential of bentonite were evaluated. The results show excellent adsorptive capacity of bentonite.