Removal of humic acid from water by adsorption onto dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide-modified zeolite in a fixed bed reactor

Abstract

AbstractModification of natural zeolite (NZ; mordenite) surface by a surfactant, dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), was characterized and employed for the removal of humic acid (HA) from water using a fixed bed column. The optimum loading of surfactant was later utilized in adsorption studies. X-ray diffraction spectrum (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller specific surface area, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and thermographic analysis and derivative thermographic analysis (TGA–DTA) were used to study the surface properties of the NZ and surfactant-modified zeolite (SMZ-DTAB). The effects of a variety of experimental conditions, such as the flow rate (Q), initial HA concentration (C0), and bed depth (Z), were studied. Optimization studies demonstrated that the SMZ bed with DTAB loading of 150% of ECEC (SMZ-DTAB-150%) exhibited enhanced adsorption performance compared to NZ. An insight of the adsorptio...