| Abstract: | A multistage ion foam fractionation column with bubble-cap trays was employed to study the removal of cadmium ions from simulated wastewater having low Cd concentrations (10–30 mg/L), examining the effects of foam height, air flow rate, feed flow rate, and feed Cd concentration. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was used to generate foam in this study. An increase in foam height, which reduces liquid hold-up in the generated foam, resulted in the enhancement of the enrichment ratios of both SDS and Cd while the removal and residual factor of Cd showed insignificant change. An increase in air flow rate increased the foam generation rate, foamate volumetric ratio, and the removal efficiency of Cd but decreased the enrichment ratios of both Cd and SDS. The separation factors of both Cd and SDS decreased with increasing feed flow rate, which is mainly attributable to both the effects of the enhancement of foamate volumetric ratio and the increases in both SDS and Cd input rates. An increase in feed Cd concentration was found to increase Cd effluent concentration and SDS removal but to decrease the enrichment ratios of both Cd and SDS because of the increasing liquid entrainment in the produced foam. |
