Removal of Copper from Aqueous Solution using Tunisian Clay

Z Elouear,J Bouzid,N Boujelben,S Gharab,F Bouhamed

doi:10.3844/ajessp.2015.90.98

Abstract

Natural adsorbents such as clay was used to replace expensive imported synthetic adsorbents. In this study, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques were used to characterize the used sorbent (clays C). Batch experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of contact time, solution pH and temperature on copper removal onto used sorbent from aqueous solution. Equilibrium data were analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models to calculate isotherm constants. Kinetic studies showed that an equilibrium time of 1 h was required for the adsorption of Cu(II) onto Tunisian clay. Equilibrium adsorption is affected by the initial pH of the solution. The maximum adsorption capacity was obtained at pH 5. Adsorption tests in synthetic wastewater revealed that the adsorption data of this material for copper ions were better fit to the Langmuir isotherm based on correlation coefficients. The influence of temperature on the adsorption process was also evaluated. Results indicated that adsorption of Cu(II) on the sorbents is endothermic. The thermodynamic parameters (IGÂ°,IHÂ° and ISÂ°) for Cu(II) sorption were also determined from the temperature dependence. Results of this study suggest that used Tunisian clay may be a promising adsorbents for environmental remediation.

Highlights

The potential sources of copper in industrial waste streams include metal cleaning and plating baths, pulp, paper and paperboard mills, wood pulp production, fertilizer industry, etc. (Dean et al, 1972)
Heavy metal removal from aqueous solutions can be achieved by conventional methods, including chemical precipitation, oxidation/reduction, electrochemical treatment, evaporative recovery, filtration, ion exchange and membrane technologies, they may be ineffective or cost-expensive, especially when the metal ion concentrations in solution are in the range of 1-100 mg L−1 (Dhakal et al, 2005; Liang et al, 2009)
The aim of this work is to study the removal of Cu(II) from aqueous solution by adsorption on Tunisian clay (C) after physicochemical characterization of the used sorbent

Summary

Introduction

The potential sources of copper in industrial waste streams include metal cleaning and plating baths, pulp, paper and paperboard mills, wood pulp production, fertilizer industry, etc. (Dean et al, 1972). Heavy metal removal from aqueous solutions can be achieved by conventional methods, including chemical precipitation, oxidation/reduction, electrochemical treatment, evaporative recovery, filtration, ion exchange and membrane technologies, they may be ineffective or cost-expensive, especially when the metal ion concentrations in solution are in the range of 1-100 mg L−1 (Dhakal et al, 2005; Liang et al, 2009). Adsorption is the most frequently applied technique owing to its advantages, such as variety of adsorbent materials and high efficiency at a relatively lower cost (Mohan and Pittman, 2006). Activated carbon is one of the most popular adsorbents for removal of metal ions (Schindler et al, 1996; Mohan and Pittman, 2006; Zhang et al, 2007), current investigations tend towards achieving high removal efficiencies with much cheaper materials which are mostly cheap and abundant matter. The development of new and more effective adsorbents, like clay, has become essential, but at the same time it should be of low cost

Objectives

Methods

Findings

Conclusion