Assessment of thermally treated sphagnum peat moss sorbents for removal of phenol red,bromothymol blue and malachite green from aqueous solution

Nine thermally treated sphagnum sorbents were investigated for dye removal of phenol red, bromothymol blue and malachite green from aqueous solutions. These sorbents were analysed for dye removal applying the optimum adsorption conditions with respect to shaking speed, equilibrium contact times and solution pH. The analysis applied the non-treated sphagnum sample. Furthermore, these sorbents were analysed by thermogravimetric analysis and infrared spectroscopy. Hence, sphagnum sorbents of mild or no thermal treatment were shown to remove very well both cationic and anionic dyes. This experiment has fortunately identified an economic method of low energy consumption for the treatment of dye effluents by sphagnum.     

Absorption of the selenite anion from aqueous solutions by thermally activated layered double hydroxide

The presence of selenite or selenate in potable water is a health hazard especially when consumed over a long period of time. Its removal from potable water is of importance. This paper reports technology for the removal of selenite from water through the use of thermally activated layered double hydroxides.Mg/Al hydrotalcites with selenite in the interlayer were prepared at different times from 0.5 to 20 h through ion exchange. X-ray diffraction of the MgAlSeO₃ hydrotalcites indicates that the selenite anion entered the interlayer spacing of Mg/Al hydrotalcite and MgAlSeO₃ hydrotalcite was formed. Raman spectra proved the presence of selenite anion in the hydrotalcite interlayer as the counter anion. The band intensity and width of MgAlSeO₃ hydrotalcite in the region of 3800-3000 cm⁻¹ increase with the adsorption of selenite by the Mg/Al hydrotalcite. The characteristic bands of free selenite anions in the MgAlSeO₃ hydrotalcites are located between the region between 850 and 800 cm⁻¹. The Raman spectra of the lower wave number region of 550-500 cm⁻¹ show a shift toward higher wave numbers with adsorption of the selenite. An estimation of the amount of selenite anion removed by the thermally activated layered double hydroxide was obtained through the measurement of the intensity of the selenite Raman bands at 814 and 835 cm⁻¹ resulting from the amount of selenite anion remaining in solution. Thermally activated LDHs provide a mechanism for removing selenite anions from aqueous solutions.     

Removal of copper ions from aqueous solution by tree fern

Tree fern, an agricultural by-product, was used for the sorptive removal of copper ions from aqueous solution. The experimental data was analysed by Langmuir, Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson isotherms. The equilibrium sorption capacity of copper ions was determined from the Langmuir equation and found to be 11.7 mg/g. A batch sorption model, based on the assumption of the pseudo-second-order mechanism, was developed to predict the rate constant of sorption, the equilibrium sorption capacity and the initial sorption rate with the effect of initial copper ion concentration and the tree fern dose. Various thermodynamic parameters, such as Delta G(0), Delta H(0) and Delta S(0), have been calculated. The thermodynamics of copper ion/tree fern system indicates spontaneous and endothermic nature of the process.     

Removal of PCNB from aqueous solution by a fungal adsorption process

Removal of PCNB from aqueous solutions by fungal mycelia was studied. Adsorption of the fungicide by dead biomass of M. racemosus, R. arrhizus and S. cyanescens was determined and compared with sorption on isolated cell walls of these three strains. Biosorptive uptake capacities are described by Freundlich equations of the form Qe=Kf·Cnfe. Measured values of Kf and nf indicate significant differences in the curve shapes and sorption capacities between the three species. Better performances were revealed by M. racemosus and R. arrhizus. Sorption of PCNB by cell walls alone was lower and statistically different from sorption by heat-killed mycelia thus corroborating that biosorption involved both uptake by the cell walls and by other cellular components.     

Removal of chromium from aqueous solutions by diatomite treated with microemulsion

In order to evaluate the sorption of heavy metals, a crude diatomite was impregnated with a microemulsion which showed remarkable increase in chromium sorption capacity as compared to untreated diatomite. Samples with two different granulometries were investigated, both yielding practically complete adsorption. The adsorption process is pH dependent and the best results for the initial Cr (III) concentration of 1.5 g/L were obtained at pH 2.95. The effect of the concentration of the chromium synthetic solution was also investigated. The adsorption isotherms were obtained (30. 40 and 50 degrees C) and the Freundlich and Langmuir models were used to determine the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent. Following the adsorption step, a desorption process was carried out using several eluant solutions. The best results were obtained using hydrochloric acid (100%) as eluant.     

Adsorptive removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions using iron oxide tailings

This study explored the feasibility of utilizing industrial waste iron oxide tailings for phosphate removal in laboratory experiments. The experimental work emphasized on the evaluation of phosphate adsorption and desorption characteristics of the tailing material. The adsorption isotherm, kinetics, pH effect and desorption were examined in batch experiments. Five isotherm models were used for data fitting. The three-parameter equations (Redlich-Peterson and Langmuir-Freundlich) showed more applicability than the two-parameter equations (Freundlich, Langmuir and Temkin). A modified equation for calculation of the separation factor using the Langmuir-Freundlich equation constants was developed. The initial phosphate adsorption on the tailings was rapid. The adsorption kinetics can be best described by either the simple Elovich or power function equation. The phosphate adsorption on the tailings tended to decrease with an increase of pH. A phosphate desorbability of approximately 13-14% was observed, and this low desorbability likely resulted from a strong bonding between the adsorbed PO(4)(3-)and iron oxides in the tailings. Column flow-through tests using both synthetic phosphate solution and liquid hog manure confirmed the phosphate removal ability of the tailings. Due to their low cost and high capability, this type of iron oxide tailings has the potential to be utilized for cost-effective removal of phosphate from wastewater.     

Removal of metal ions from aqueous solution by polysaccharide produced from Bacillus firmus

This paper deals with adsorption of Pb, Cu and Zn on the polysaccharide produced by Bacillus firmus. The adsorption of metal ions was significantly affected by the initial pH of solution, initial metal ion and polysaccharide concentrations, and presence of other ions in solution. At optimum pH, the uptakes of Pb, Cu and Zn were 98.3%, 74.9% and 61.8%, respectively. The metal ions removal was lower at neutral and generally the initial adsorption rate was rapid and reached equilibrium after 10 min. The process of uptake obeys both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms.     

Removal of chromium from aqueous solution by complexation-ultrafiltration using a water-soluble macroligand

A process for purifying waste waters containing heavy and toxic metal such as chromium has been studied. A batch complexation-ultrafiltration process was used to concentrate and recover chromium from sulphate solution. As the chromium ions are too small to be retained by the filter, they are first complexed with a water-soluble macroligand (polyethylene-imine). Factors affecting the rejection rate and permeate flux such as pH, concentration ligand, chloride and sulphate concentration, membrane pore size, applied pressure and extraction factor were investigated. Best operating conditions can be obtained in order to achieve high levels of removal (> 95%). Then, decomplexation is obtained so that metal can be separated from macroligand by a second ultrafiltration plant to reuse the macroligand.     

Removal of nitrogenous compounds from aqueous solution by ozonation and ion exchange

Experiments were conducted to investigate the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate removal from aqueous solution using ozonation and ion exchange. The operating variables of the combined ozonation and ion exchange processes include the pH, initial concentration of nitrogenous compounds and flow rate of aqueous solution. The effects of those variables on the removal efficiencies of the nitrogeneous compounds by ozonation, or ion exchange or both were explored. Ozonation was found able to completely convert nitrite to nitrate. However its capability of ammonia removal is much limited. The anionic and cationic ion exchange resins were able to efficiently remove nitrate and residual ammonia. An optimal operating range of OH for ammonia removal by the combined ozonation and ion exchange was obtained. However, removal of nitrite and/or nitrate by combined ozonation and ion exchange was found to be relatively insensitive to pH. It was observed that the combined process is capable of efficiently maintaining the nitrogeneous compounds in the aqueous solution at very low concentration levels.     

Removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution by nonliving Ulva seaweed as biosorbent

The growth of dense green seaweed mats of Ulva spp. is an increasing problem in estuaries and coasts worldwide. The enormous amount of Ulva biomass thus becomes a troublesome waste disposal problem. On the other hand, it has been revealed that nonliving seaweed biomass, particularly brown seaweeds, has a high capacity for assimilating heavy metals. In this study, the possibility of using Ulva seaweed biomass as a biosorbent for the removal of heavy metals was examined. After processing, the biomass material was very easy to separate from the aqueous solution using a mesh. The sorption capacity of Cd on Ulva biomass increased upon pretreatment with alkali solution. The outstanding function of the biosorbent was demonstrated at around pH 8. On the basis of the Langmuir isotherms of Cd, Zn and Cu using the alkali-pretreated biomass, the parameters q(m) and b were determined to be within the narrow range of 60-90 mg/g and 0.03-0.04 L/mg, respectively, for each metal. Given the q(m) and b values, Ulva seaweed is a good biosorbent material for removing heavy metals. In an experiment using artificial wastewater containing Cd, Zn, Cu, Cr and Ni, it was possible to remove each metal simultaneously using Ulva biomass. Adsorption by Ulva biomass is effective for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater.     

Removal of arsenite and arsenate ions from aqueous solution by basic yttrium carbonate

A new method has been developed to remove arsenite and arsenate ions from aquatic systems by using basic yttrium carbonate (BYC). Various parameters such as pH, anion concentration and reaction time were studied to establish optimum conditions. The removal by adsorption of arsenite and arsenate ions was found to be > 99% depending on initial concentration in the pH range of 9.8–10.5 and 7.5–9.0, respectively. The arsenate was also removed by precipitation at pH lower than 6.5 due to dissolution of BYC. The kinetic study shows that the adsorption follows the first order reaction. The adsorption isotherms of these anions were also studied at different temperatures. The equilibrium data fit well in the Langmuir model of adsorption. The Langmuir constants were calculated at different temperatures and the adsorption capacity for both anions increases with temperature. Anions such as Cl⁻, Br⁻, I⁻, NO⁻₃ and SO²⁻₄ have no interference in the removal process. The mechanism of the removal by adsorption was interpreted in terms of the surface charge and ligand orientation of BYC. The method was applied on synthetic wastewaters. Arsenite was oxidized to arsenate by 3% hydrogen peroxide. The yttrium was regenerated as basic yttrium carbonate.     

Removal of phosphorus from aqueous solution using alumized red mud

Treated red mud, the solid residue from bauxite processing, was found to adsorb phosphorus from dilute aqueous solution effectively. Experiments were carried out in aqueous as well as buffer media to obtain the optimum conditions like contact time, pH, adsorbent dose, adsorbate concentration, temperature etc. The pH value of 4.5 was found to be optimum for maximum removal. The equilibrium was attained within 60 mins. Lower adsorbent dose and higher initial phosphorus concentration favoured higher loading capacity. The adsorption process followed Freundlich isotherm and Lagergren equations and they followed first order rate kinetics. The effect of different anions on phosphorus removal could be explained on the basis of the changing affinity of anions for the surface and their relative concentrations.     

Removal of copper,nickel, cobalt and manganese from aqueous solution by kaolinite

The removal of some heavy metals such as Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) from aqueous solution is studied using a raw kaolinite. The sorption of these metals on kaolinite conformed to linear form of Langmuir adsorption equation. Langmuir C(m) constants for each metal were found as 0.446 mg/g (Mn), 0.919 mg/g (Co), 1.669 mg/g (Ni), 10787 mg/g (Cu) at 25 degrees C, respectively. Also, kinetic and thermodynamic parameters such as enthalpy (deltaH), free energy (deltaG) and entropy (deltaS) were calculated and these values show that adsorption of heavy metal on kaolinite was an endothermic process and the process of adsorption was favoured at high temperatures.     

Removal of naphthalene from aqueous solution on chemically modified activated carbons

The aim of this work was to correlate the textural and chemical features of carbonaceous adsorbents with the adsorption capacity of naphthalene from aqueous phase, at the concentration in which this compound is usually found in wastewater from coke ovens. The study reveals that the adsorption capacity in different carbon materials depends not only on the textural characteristics of the material but also on the functionalities of the activated carbons. The micropores of the adsorbents, particularly those of narrower diameter, were found to be active sites for the retention of naphthalene. In contrast, the modification of the surface chemistry of the carbon materials led to a decrease in the adsorption capacities. Dispersive forces play an important role, and adsorbents with a higher non-polar character have proven to be more efficient for the naphthalene adsorption. This behaviour has been linked to the presence of specific interactions between the basal planes and the polyaromatic structure of the naphthalene molecule.     

Removal of dyes from aqueous solution using fly ash and red mud

Fly ash and red mud have been employed as adsorbents for the removal of a typical basic dye, methylene blue, from aqueous solution. Heat treatment and chemical treatment have also been applied to the as-received fly ash and red mud samples. It is found that fly ash generally shows higher adsorption capacity than red mud. The raw fly ash and red mud show adsorption capacity at 1.4 x 10(-5) and 7.8 x 10(-6) mol/g, respectively. Heat treatment reduces the adsorption capacity for both fly ash and red mud but acid treatment by HNO(3) induces a different effect on fly ash and red mud. Nitric acid treatment results in an increase in adsorption capacity of fly ash (2.4 x 10(-5) mol/g) while it decreases the adsorption capacity for red mud (3.2 x 10(-6) mol/g). The adsorption data have been analysed using Langmuir, Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson isotherms. The results indicate that the Redlich-Peterson model provides the best correlation of the experimental data. Isotherms have also been used to obtain the thermodynamic parameters such as free energy, enthalpy and entropy of adsorption. For fly ash and red mud, adsorption of methylene blue is endothermic reaction with DeltaH(0) at 76.1 and 10.8 kJ/mol, respectively.     

Removal of phosphate ions from aqueous solutions Zn/Al- and Mg/Fe- by layered doubled hydroxides

The article has investigated processes of sorption removal of phosphate–ions from water media Zn/Al- and Mg/Fe by layered double hydroxides. It was established that sorption properties of these materials are substantially affected by their composition, heat treatment and the pH of the aqueous solution. It is shown that calcined forms of studied sorbents are more effective than their initial carbonate forms.     

Adsorption of chloridazon from aqueous solution on heat and acid treated sepiolites

The adsorption of chloridazon on heat treated sepiolite samples at 110 degrees C (S-110), 200 degrees C (S-200), 400 degrees C (S-400), 600 degrees C (S-600) and acid treated samples with H2SO4 solutions of two different concentrations (0.25 and 1.0M) (S-0.25 and S-1.0, respectively) from pure water at 25 degrees C has been studied by using batch experiments. In addition, column experiments were carried out with the natural (S-110) and 600 degrees C (S-600) heat treated samples, using a 10.30 mg l-1 aqueous solution of chloridazon. The adsorption experimental data points have been fitted to the Freundlich equation in order to calculate the adsorption capacities (Kf) of the samples; Kf values range from 2.89 mg kg-1 for the S-1.0 sample up to 164 mg kg-1 for the S-600 sample; so, the heat treatment given to the sepiolite greatly increases its adsorption capacity for the herbicide chloridazon whereas the acid treatment produces a clear decrease in the amount of chloridazon adsorbed. The removal efficiency (R) has also been calculated; R values ranging from 5.08% for S-1.0 up to 60.9% for S-600. The batch experiments showed that the strongest heat treatment is more effective than the natural and acid treated sepiolite in relation to adsorption of chloridazon. The column experiments also showed that 600 degrees C heat treated sepiolite might be reasonably used in removing chloridazon from water. Thus, as this type of clay is relatively plentiful, these activated samples might be reasonably used in order to remove chloridazon from water.     

Removal of Ga(III) from aqueous solution by adsorption on activated bentonite using a factorial design

The purpose of the work is to study the adsorption of gallium(III) on bentonite from aqueous solutions. The important parameters, which affect the adsorption, such as pH of solution, mass of bentonite and temperature have been investigated. The results of parameters study showed that when pH and mass of bentonite increase there was a significant increase of Ga(III) at 20 degrees C and the optimum conditions were as follows: pH of solution (2.50), mass of bentonite (3.50 g) and temperature (20 degrees C). An experimental test carried out using a factorial design 2(3) indicated that pH and mass of bentonite have a positive effect, whereas temperature has negative effect. The interaction effect between pH and mass of bentonite was an important significant factor for gallium adsorption.     

Removal of benzoic acid in aqueous solution by Fe(III) homogeneous photocatalysis

The behaviour of the system Fe(III)/Air/UV-benzoic acid is investigated in the pH range 2.0-5.5 and Fe(III) concentration up to 60 microM. The oxidation process develops through the establishment of an iron cycle in which HO radicals are produced by Fe(OH)2+ photolysis and the resulting Fe(II) photo-oxidized to Fe(III) by dissolved oxygen. A kinetic model is developed and used to simulate the behaviour of the system.     

Removal of Co2+ from aqueous solutions by hydroxyapatite

A study on the removal of cobalt ions from aqueous solutions by synthetic hydroxyapatite was conducted in batch conditions. The influence of different sorption parameters, such as: initial metal concentration, equilibration time, solution pH and presence of EDTA on the amount of Co(2+) sorbed was studied and discussed. The sorption process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics with necessary time of 24 h to reach equilibrium. Cobalt uptake was quantitatively evaluated using the Langmuir and Dubinin-Kaganer-Radushkevich (DKR) model. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm constant corresponding to adsorption capacity, Xm, was found to be 20.92 mg/g. Sorption of Co(2+) is constant in the initial pH range 4-8, because HAP surface buffers these solutions to the constant final pH value of 5.1. In the presence of EDTA, sorption of Co(2+) decreases due to formation of complex with lower sorption affinities. Cobalt desorption depends on the composition of the extracting solution. The desorbed amount of cobalt decreased continuously with increasing pH, and increased with increasing Ca(2+) concentration in leaching solution.