Equilibrium studies for the sorption of zinc and copper from aqueous solutions using sugar beet pulp and fly ash

In the present work, the abilities of native sugar beet pulp (SBP) and fly ash (FA) to remove copper (Cu(2+)) and zinc (Zn(2+)) ions from aqueous solutions were compared. The SBP and FA, an industrial by-product and solid waste of sugar industry, were used for the removal of copper and zinc from aqueous water. Batch adsorption experiments were performed in order to evaluate the removal efficiency of SBP and lignite-based FA. The effect of various operating variables, i.e. initial pH, adsorbent dose, initial metal ion concentration, and time on adsorption of copper and zinc onto the SBP and FA, has been studied. The sorption process was relatively fast and equilibrium was reached after about 60 min of contact. As much as 60-97% removal of copper and zinc for SBP and FA are possible in about 60 min, respectively, under the batch test conditions. Uptake showed a pH-dependent profile. The overall uptake for the SBP is at a maximum at pH 5.5 and gives up to 30.9 mg g(-1) for copper and at pH 6.0 and gives 35.6 mg g(-1) for zinc for SBP, which seems to be removed exclusively by ion exchange and physical sorption. Maximum adsorption of copper and zinc occurred 7.0 and 7.84 mg g(-1) at a pH value of 5.0 and 4.0 for FA, respectively. A dose of 8 g l(-1) of SBP and 8 g l(-1) FA were sufficient for the optimum removal of both the metal ions. The sorption data were represented by the Freundlich for SBP and the Langmuir and Freundlich for FA. The sorption data were better represented by the Langmuir isotherm than by the Freundlich one for FA in the adsorption of zinc ion, suggesting that the monolayer sorption, mainly due to ion exchange. The presence of low ionic strength or low concentration of Na and Cl ions does not have a significant effect on the adsorption of these metals by SBP and FA. The SBP and FA are shown to be effective metal adsorbents for these two metals.     

Some studies on the reaction between fly ash and lime

The reaction between fly ash (FA) and lime is extensively exploited for the manufacture of building bricks, blocks and aggregates. To get a better idea of this reaction, FA from different sources were mixed in different ratios with lime and compacted. The compacts were treated both by ordinary water and hydrothermal curing to promote lime bearing hydrate bond formation e.g. CaO- SiO₂-H₂O (C-S-H), CaO-Al₂O₃-H₂O (C-A-H) etc. The decrease in free lime content in these compacts was measured as a function of curing time and curing process. This drop in this content was correlated to the chemical composition of the fly ashes. The mathematical relationships between free lime remaining in the compacts after its maximum decrease in concentration and lime binding modulus (a ratio between the amount of added lime and the total amount of lime binding constituents present in FA) for both types of curing were developed. Further, the rate of decrease in free CaO content under both types of curing conditions was compared from kinetic study. From this study the orders of the reactions and rate constants were found out.     

Investigation of reactions in high-alumina fly ash and lime pastes

By-product fly ash from coal combustion generally contains a high percentage of active silica and smaller amounts of alumina, although some coals can have higher alumina contents (30 to 40%). During our experimental tests on the utilization f fly ash in road and highway foundation sheets, we have found a fly ash poor in silica, having an exceptionally high alumina content. This material has shown a good reactivity towards lime paste, giving hardened mixtures with high mechanical properties.     

Biosorption of Reactive Black 5 dye by Penicillium restrictum: the kinetic study

Biosorption of Reactive Black 5 (RB 5) dye onto dried Penicillium restrictum biomass was studied with respect to pH, contact time, biosorbent and dye concentrations. The effect of temperature on the biosorption efficiency was also carried out and the kinetic parameters were determined. Optimum initial pH, equilibrium time and biomass concentration for RB 5 dye were found to be 1.0, 75 min and 0.4 g dm(-3) at 20 degrees C, respectively. The maximum biosorption capacities (q(max)) of RB 5 dye onto dried P. restrictum biomass were 98.33 and 112.50mg (g biomass)(-1) at 175 mg dm(-3) initial dye concentration at 20 and 50 degrees C, respectively, and it was 142.04 mg (g biomass)(-1) at 200 mg dm(-3) initial dye concentration at 35 degrees C. The results indicate that the biosorption process obeys a pseudo-second-order kinetic model.     

Equilibrium and kinetic studies for the sorption of 3-methoxybenzaldehyde on activated kaolinites

The sorption of 3-methoxybenzaldehyde on activated kaolinites has been investigated at different temperatures. Two types of activation tests were performed. The sorption equilibrium was studied by sorption isotherms in the temperature range 303-333K for natural (untreated), thermally and acid activated kaolinites. It was shown that the isotherm shapes were not affected by temperature and activation types of kaolinite. The absorbance data at 312nm were fitted reasonably well with the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models and the model parameters were determined for different temperatures. Thermodynamic quantities such as Gibbs free energy (DeltaG), the enthalpy (DeltaH) and the entropy change of sorption (DeltaS) were determined for natural, thermally and acid activated kaolinites. It was shown that the sorption processes were an endothermic reactions, controlled by physical mechanisms and spontaneously. Adsorption capacity of acid activated kaolinite for 3-methoxybenzaldehyde was higher compared to that of natural and thermally activated kaolinites at various temperatures. The adsorption and desorption rate constants (k(a) and k(d)) were obtained separately by applying a geometric approach to the first order Langmuir model. This method provided good conformity between the K from Langmuir parameters and K(geo) (k(a)/k(d)) from geometric approach.     

Equilibrium and kinetic studies of methyl violet sorption by agricultural waste

In this work, sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) seed hull (SSH), an agricultural waste, was evaluated for its ability to remove methyl violet (MV) from aqueous solutions. Sorption isotherm of MV onto the SSH was determined at 30 degrees C with the initial concentrations of MV in the range of 25-300 mg/L. The equilibrium data were analyzed using the Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models. The equilibrium process was described well by the Freundlich isotherm model. The maximum SSH sorption capacity was found to be 92.59 mg/L at 30 degrees C. The kinetic data were studied in terms of the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intraparticle diffusion kinetic models. The pseudo-second-order model best described the sorption process. A single-stage batch-adsorber design of the adsorption of MV onto SSH was studied based on the Freundlich isotherm equation. The results indicated that sunflower seed hull was an attractive candidate for removing methyl violet from aqueous solution.     

Sorption of distillery spent wash onto fly ash: kinetics, mechanism, process design and factorial design

Batch and continuous experiments were performed for the sorption of distillery spent wash onto fly ash particles. The Freundlich and pseudo-second order equation were found to fit the equilibrium data perfectly. The Weber-Morris intraparticle diffusion isotherm equation was used to predict the sorption mechanism and the predicted equation for 10% dilution of spent wash sorption is q(t)=1.1344t(0.5)+33.304. The optimization using 2(3) factorial design of experiments provides optimal removal of color of 93% for dilution (5%), dosage of adsorbent (10g) and temperature (293K). The actual color removal at optimal conditions was 92.24%, confirms close to the factorial design results. The complete error analysis using six non-linear error functions: Chi-square (chi(2)); sum of square errors (SSE); composite fractional error function (HYBRD); derivative of Marquardt's percent standard deviation (MPSD); average relative error (ARE); sum of absolute errors (EABS) were calculated. Free energy of adsorption at 293K (DeltaG(0)=-1574.67J), enthalpy change (DeltaH(0)=-32.5487KJ) and entropy change (DeltaS(0)=105J/K) were calculated to predict the nature of adsorption. Adsorption studies in a packed column were evaluated using Bed depth service time model, Thomas model and Adams-Bohart model.     

Equilibrium and kinetic data and process design for adsorption of Congo Red onto bentonite

The adsorption of Congo Red onto bentonite in a batch adsorber has been studied. Four kinetic models, the pseudo first- and second-order equations, the Elovich equation and the intraparticle diffusion equation, were selected to follow the adsorption process. Kinetic parameters; rate constants, equilibrium adsorption capacities and correlation coefficients, for each kinetic equation were calculated and discussed. It was shown that the adsorption of Congo Red onto bentonite could be described by the pseudo second-order equation. The experimental isotherm data were analyzed using the Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin equations. Adsorption of Congo Red onto bentonite followed the Langmuir isotherm. A single stage batch adsorber was designed for different adsorbent mass/treated effluent volume ratios using the Langmuir isotherm.     

Investigation of sewage sludge stabilization potential by the addition of fly ash and lime

The aim of this work was the examination of stabilization potential of sewage sludge by the addition of fly ash and/or lime and the investigation of the effect of stabilization time on the properties of produced mixtures. Five samples were prepared by mixing fly ash, sewage sludge and lime in various ratios and the mixtures were stabilized for a period of 35 d. The addition of alkaline agents resulted in the increase of sample pH up to 12, the increase of total solids content to about 50% and the reduction of the organic fraction of the solids. The produced samples presented inhibition effects to seed germination and root length growth of three higher plants (one monocotyl and two dicotyls); however, samples with high sludge content resulted in negligible seed germination inhibition at prolonged stabilization times. The standard TCLP leaching procedure was applied in all the produced samples in order to evaluate the extraction potential of certain metallic elements; the content of metals in the eluates was varied, depending upon their speciation and form. Eluates presented significant inhibition to the marine photobacterium Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence, while the lowest inhibition was detected for the samples containing higher sludge content. These samples potentially could be applied as soil amendment, offering an efficient method for the combined utilization of two different solid wastes; however, low dosages of fly ash should be used for the production of a stabilized material presenting negligible effects with respect to its phytotoxic and ecotoxic properties.     

Microconcrete with partial replacement of Portland cement by fly ash and hydrated lime addition

The reduction in Portland cement consumption means lower CO₂ emissions. Partial replacement of Portland cement by pozzolans such as fly ash has its limitations due to the quantity of calcium hydroxide generated in the mix. In this work we have studied the contribution of the addition of hydrated lime to Portland cement + fly ash systems. We have also studied several levels of cement replacement, ranging from 15% to 75%.The best mechanical results were obtained replacing 50% of Portland cement by the same amount of fly ash plus the addition of hydrated lime (20% respect to the amount of fly ash). In these systems, an acid-base self-neutralization of the matrix has occurred through a pozzolanic reaction of fly ash with portlandite liberated in the hydration of Portland cement and the added hydrated lime. It has been identified for these mixtures a significant amount of hydrated gehlenite, typical reaction product from rich-alumina pozzolans.     

Rheology and setting of high volume fly ash mixtures

While high volume fly ash (HVFA) concretes can be designed and produced to meet 28-d strength requirements and often even exceed the durability performance of conventional concretes, a persistent problem is the potentially long delay in setting time that produces concurrently long delays in finishing the concrete in the field. Previous isothermal calorimetry studies on two different powder additions, namely calcium hydroxide and a rapid set cement, have shown that these powders can mitigate excessive retardation of the hydration reactions. In this paper, rheological measurements and conventional Vicat setting time studies are conducted to verify that these powder additions do indeed reduce setting times in paste systems based on both ASTM Class C and ASTM Class F fly ashes. The reductions depend on the class of fly ash and suggest that trial mixtures would be a necessity to apply these technologies to each specific fly ash/cement/admixture combination being employed in the field. Potentially, for such screening studies, the rheological measurement of yield stress may provide a faster indication of setting (and finishability) than conventional Vicat needle penetration measurements on pastes.     

Stabilization of phosphogypsum using class C fly ash and lime: assessment of the potential for marine applications

Phosphogypsum (PG, CaSO(4).H(2)O), a solid byproduct of phosphoric acid manufacturing, contains low levels of radium ((266)Ra), resulting in stackpiling as the only currently allowable disposal/storage method. PG can be stabilized with class C fly ash and lime for potential use in marine environments. An augmented simplex centroid design with pseudo-components was used to select 10 PG:class C fly ash:lime compositions. The 43cm(3) blocks were fabricated and subjected to a field submergence test and 28 days saltwater dynamic leaching study. The dynamic leaching study yielded effective calcium diffusion coefficients (D(e)) ranging from 1.15 x 10(-13) to 3.14 x 10(-13)m(2)s(-1) and effective diffusion depths (X(c)) ranging from 14.7 to 4.3mm for 30 years life. The control composites exhibited diametrical expansions ranging from 2.3 to 17.1%, providing evidence of the extent of the rupture development due to ettringite formation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), microprobe analysis showed that the formation of a CaCO(3) on the composite surface could not protect the composites from saltwater intrusion because the ruptures developed throughout the composites were too great. When the PG:class C fly ash:lime composites were submerged, saltwater was able to intrude throughout the entire composite and dissolve the PG. The dissolution of the PG increased the concentration of sulfate ions that could react with calcium aluminum oxides in class C fly ash forming additional ettringite that accelerated rupture development. Effective diffusion coefficients and effective diffusion depths alone are not necessarily good indicators of the long-term survivability of PG:class C fly ash:lime composites. Development of the ruptures in the composites must be considered when the composites are used for aquatic applications.     

Transport properties of high-volume fly ash concrete: Capillary water sorption,water sorption under vacuum and gas permeability

Studying concrete’s resistance to carbonation-induced corrosion usually involves exposing the material to CO₂ for quite some time. To estimate the performance of high-volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete more quickly, two key properties governing this process can be studied, namely water penetrability and gas permeability. With respect to HVFA mixtures optimized for usage in an environment exposed to carbonation with wetting and drying, we adopted the latter approach. This paper presents a full assessment of concrete mixtures with varying fly ash amounts. A 50% fly ash mixture by mass with a binder content of 400 kg/m³ and a water-to-binder ratio of 0.4 had a lower capillary water uptake (?32.6%), water sorption under vacuum (?10.7%) and gas permeability (?78.9%) than a proper reference normally used in this environment. The fly ash applied had an excellent quality regarding loss on ignition (3.5%) and fineness (19% retained on a 45 μm sieve).     

Workability and strength of coarse high calcium fly ash geopolymer

In this paper, the basic properties viz., workability and strength of geopolymer mortar made from coarse lignite high calcium fly ash were investigated. The geopolymer was activated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium silicate and heat. The results revealed that the workable flow of geopolymer mortar was in the range of 110 ± 5%–135 ± 5% and was dependent on the ratio by mass of sodium silicate to NaOH and the concentration of NaOH. The obtained compressive strength was in the range of 10–65 MPa. The optimum sodium silicate to NaOH ratio to produce high strength geopolymer was 0.67–1.0. The concentration variation of NaOH between 10 M and 20 M was found to have a small effect on the strength. The geopolymer samples with high strength were obtained with the following practices: the delay time after moulding and before subjecting the sample to heat was 1 h and the optimum curing temperature in the oven was 75 °C with the curing duration of not less than two days.     

Equilibrium, kinetic and thermodynamic studies on the adsorption of phenol onto chitin

The adsorption of phenol onto chitin, a naturally occurring material was studied as a function of initial pH, temperature and initial phenol concentration. The highest phenol adsorption capacity was determined as 21.5 mgg(-1) for 300 mgdm(-3) initial phenol concentration at pH 1.0 and 40 degrees C. Adsorption data were well described by the Freundlich Model, although they could be modeled by the Langmuir equation. The pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models were applied to test the experimental data. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model provided the best correlation of the experimental data compared to the pseudo-first-order model. The thermodynamic constants of the adsorption process; DeltaG degrees , DeltaH degrees and DeltaS degrees were evaluated as -19.4 kJmol(-1) (at 40 degrees C), 10.2 kJmol(-1) and 0.093 kJmol(-1)K(-1), respectively. These showed that adsorption of phenol on chitin was endothermic and spontaneous.     

Equilibrium,kinetic and thermodynamic studies on the adsorption of phenol onto graphene

Graphene, a new member of carbon family, has been prepared, characterized and used as adsorbent to remove phenol from aqueous solution. The effect parameters including pH, dosage, contact time, and temperature on the adsorption properties of phenol onto graphene were investigated. The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity can reach 28.26 mg/g at the conditions of initial phenol concentration of 50 mg/L, pH 6.3 and 285 K. Adsorption data were well described by both Freundlich and Langmuir models. The kinetic study illustrated that the adsorption of phenol onto graphene fit the pseudo second-order model. The thermodynamic parameters indicated that the adsorption of phenol onto graphene was endothermic and spontaneous.     

Application of internal curing for mixtures containing high volumes of fly ash

This paper focuses on testing performed on mixtures that would be consistent with the mortar portion of a concrete bridge deck mixture for many state departments of transportation. In this work a relatively large percentage of cement (40%, 60%, or 80% by volume) is replaced with Class C fly ash. To overcome concerns associated with slow set and early-age strength development that are often expressed with the high volume fly ash mixtures (HVFA), the water-to-cementitious materials ratio (w/cm) by mass has been reduced from a conventional value of 0.42 to 0.30. To overcome potential complications that the low w/cm may cause in terms of self-desiccation, internal curing (IC) with prewetted lightweight aggregate was used to reduce shrinkage and increase hydration. By adopting this approach (lowering the w/c and using IC) IC HVFA mixtures show additional benefits that should permit their broader application.     

Microwave drying optimization and kinetic modeling of fly ash from municipal solid waste incineration

As a kind of hazardous waste, municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWI FA) needs to be stored in a dry state in the process of landfill, transportation, and comprehensive utilization. Therefore, from the perspective of safety and sustainable development, it is necessary to dry as the pretreatment of MSWI FA. In this paper, MSWI FA drying experiments were carried out under different microwave power, different initial moisture content, and different particle size distribution conditions. The drying characteristics of MSWI FA were explored and the thin-layer drying kinetic model was used to explore the basic theory of the dynamics of MSWI FA drying process for the first time. The fitting analysis of the experimental data showed that the drying efficiency of MSWI FA increases gradually with the increase of microwave power and fly ash particle size, and the drying process of MSWI FA could be well represented by the Diffusion approach model (R² greater than 0.99). Through Fick's second law calculation, it was found that when the microwave power was increased from 400w to 800w, the surface diffusion coefficient increased from 1.11 × 10^-12 m²/s to 2.92 × 10^-12 m²/s, which further showed that the microwave power has a significant effect on the drying efficiency of MSWI FA.