| Abstract: | A silica support impregnated with 2‐hydroxy‐5‐nonylacetophenone oxime (LIX 84) was prepared after surface modification by ‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane. Fixed‐bed tests were conducted to investigate the capabilities of the prepared adsorbent with respect to the selective removal of copper ions from multi‐metal solutions. Break‐through curves were obtained using the modified silica for a solution containing Cu2+, Cd2+, Ni2+, Co2+ and Zn2+, as well as an industrial electronics wastewater sample. The copper adsorption capacities for the multi‐metal solution and the wastewater were 0.175 and 0.198 mmolg−1, respectively under the conditions used in this study. The copper recovery ratios for the modified silica treated with the multi‐metal solution and the wastewater were 86 and 91%, respectively after treating with 0.1 moldm−3 HNO3. The results show that the modified silica, prepared here, has potential value for the selective removal of copper ions from multi‐component aqueous solutions containing multi‐metals using a fixed‐bed reactor. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry |
