The Adsorption of Cadmium Ions on Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Particles

Abstract

Geopolymer particles from waste coal fly ash were prepared in order to investigate adsorption process of Cadmium ions. The aim of the study is to focus on factors which affect adsorption process of heavy metals on geopolymer materials. The raw fly ash was mixed with sodium hydroxide solution and sodium silicate solution. After that geopolymer was cured at 80 °C for 24 hr. The sample was ground and washed until pH=7. The obtained geopolymer particles were dried at 60 oC. The raw materials and geopolymer were characterized. The XRD results showed a highly amorphous structure in obtained geopolymer. The major components of waste coal fly ash and synthesized geopolymer were SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3 and CaO. The BET surface area of fly ash and geopolymer particles were 0.83 m2/g and 85.01 m2/g, respectively. The adsorption conditions (initial concentration from 10-120 mg/L, temperature at 25-45 °C, pH of cadmium ions solution from 1-5, 0.02-0.14 g. of geopolymer and contact time for 5-180 min) were studied. From removal efficiency results, synthesized geopolymer had high removal capacity for cadmium ions (Cd2+). At pH 5 of solution, the highest Cd2+ removal capacity was obtained. In addition, the removal efficiency increases with an increasing geopolymer dosage, contact time and a decreasing of Cd2+ initial concentration. Moreover, both Langmuir and Freundlich models were investigated for studying adsorption isotherm. The result showed Langmuir model is more suitable for geopolymer adsorption of cadmium ion in aqueous solution than Freundlich model.