Adsorption properties of Pb2+ on thermal-activated serpentine

ABSTRACT

Adsorption properties of nature and thermal-activated serpentines to Pb²⁺ in aqueous solution were investigated. The results showed that Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetics model were suitable to describe the adsorption process of Pb²⁺ on serpentines. The thermodynamic parameters indicated that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. The serpentine activated at 700°C exhibited maximum adsorption capacity to Pb²⁺. Based on the XRD and XPS characterization, it could be found that the structure of serpentine did not change significantly during the adsorption process, and Pb²⁺ was adsorbed on the serpentine surface as the precipitation of Pb(OH)Cl and Pb(OH)₂.