Abstract
Vermiculite has been used for the removal of Cu 2 + and Ag + from aqueous solutions in a fixed-bed column system. The effects of initial silver and copper ion concentrations, flow rate, and bed height of the adsorbent in a fixed-bed column system were investigated. Statistical analysis confirmed that breakthrough curves depended on all three factors. The highest inlet metal cation concentration (5000 mg/dm3), the lowest bed height (3 cm) and the lowest flow rate (2 and 3 cm3/min for Ag + and Cu 2 + , respectively) were optimal for the adsorption process. The maximum total percentage of metal ions removed was 60.4% and 68.7% for Ag+ and Cu2+, respectively. Adsorption data were fitted with four fixed-bed adsorption models, namely Clark, Bohart–Adams, Yoon–Nelson and Thomas models, to predict breakthrough curves and to determine the characteristic column parameters. The adsorbent was characterized by SEM, FTIR, EDS and BET techniques. The results showed that vermiculite could be applied as a cost-effective sorbent for the removal of Cu 2 + and Ag + from wastewater in a continuous process.
Highlights
One of the greatest environmental problems today is the presence of harmful and hazardous substances in industrial wastewater
Vermiculite was chemically activated by leaching it with a 10% citric acid solution and a 0.1 M NaOH solution for the adsorption of copper and silver ions, respectively (1 g vermiculite per 10 cm3 base or acid solution)
This study study has hasshown shownthat thatvermiculite vermiculitemay maybebesuccessfully successfully used inexpensive sorbent
Summary
One of the greatest environmental problems today is the presence of harmful and hazardous substances in industrial wastewater. Some of the worst pollutants are heavy metals, which are released into the environment through natural process and anthropogenic activities. The increasing contamination of these substances necessitates their removal from wastewater and post-process water [3]. Examples of such metals are copper and silver. The elements occur in products as nanoparticles as well as ions, which affects their concentration in wastewater [4]. Small-sized nanoparticles demonstrate increased reactivity, which simultaneously reduces a particle’s lifetime in the environment. Modifications of the structure of particles occurring in the environment strongly affect their surface properties and, transport and behaviour in water systems, soils, and their impact on organisms [5]
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