Application of 3A Zeolite Prepared from Venezuelan Kaolin for Removal of Pb (II) from Wastewater and Its Determination by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

This work consists in the use of a 3A zeolite (K-LTA) obtained by a process of exchange of sodium for potassium (4A zeolite), synthesized from Venezuelan kaolin for the removal of Pb (II) ions from aqueous solutions by batch process mode in order to consider its application in treating industrial wastewaters. The 3A zeolite was characterized for X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (SEM-EDX). The metal concentration in the equilibrium Ce (mg·L-1) after adsorption with 3A zeolite was analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The influences of the solution pH, contact time, metal initial concentration and adsorbent dosage have been studied. The retention of metal occurring at pH values around 6.5 and the adsorption equilibrium was obtained at 60 min. The equilibrium process was well described by Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherm models. The Langmuir parameters qm (mg·g-1) and b (L·mg-1) (which are related to the sorption capacity and constant of sorption energy) obtained were 14.64 and 5.42 respectively. The Pb (II) experimental uptake was about 14.56 mg·g-1, a little smaller than the theoretical one given by Langmuir isotherm model. The regression parameters and correlation coefficients (R) indicate that the adsorption data for Pb (II) removal fit better the Langmuir isotherm model. Moreover, 0 1/n 1 (1/n is 0.13), indicating that adsorption of metal ions on the zeolite, is a favorable physical process. The application of removing of the metal lead from real samples was examined by industrial wastewater samples. For all samples, the percentage of recovery was found with accuracy of more than 98%. The present work suggests 3A zeolite used as a sorbent material with relatively low cost, obtained from Venezuelan raw material;it is a candidate for removal lead ion and probably other cationic heavy metal species from wastewater.

Linde Type a Zeolite and Type Y Faujasite as a Solid-Phase for Lead, Cadmium, Nickel and Cobalt Preconcentration and Determination Using a Flow Injection System Coupled to Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

In this work, a flow injection analysis (FIA) method for the trace determination of lead, cadmium, nickel and cobalt in natural waters by formation of neutral chelates with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) was developed. The neutral chelates formed was retained in a mini-column packed with Linde type A zeolite (LTA) and type Y Faujasite zeolite (FAU) and then eluted with methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) to flame atomic absorption spectrometry (EAA) for its detection. Physicochemical characterization of this zeolite was carried out by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy and attenuated total reflectance (FTIR and IR-ATR), scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (SEM-EDX) and X-ray power diffraction (XRD). Then, a FIA configuration was used with a column preconcentration system coupled to the detection system at room temperature (22?C). The detection limit and the relative standard deviation for 5 determinations of different solutions of Pb2+, Co2+, Ni2+ and Cd2+ for FAU and LTA zeolite were calculated. The sampling frequency ranged from 18-35 h-1 and preconcentration factors from 21-250 were achieved, for a sample volume of 6 mL using 20 mg of sorbents, indicating a high retention of the analytes on the zeolites material. The recoveries obtained in natural waters samples were close to 100% for all ions metal using synthetic zeolites, confirming the applicability of the method. The isotherm models of Langmuir, Scatchard, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich were used to study the equilibrium data, indicating that successfully followed the Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) isotherms at low metal ion concentration. The Freundlich parameter n varied between 0.35-1.01, whereas D-R isotherm yields the sorption free energy E 8 kJ.mol-1 indicating psysisorption.

Biological Template Based on ent-Kaurane Diterpenoid Glycosides for the Synthesis of Inorganic Porous Materials

Recent studies on the preparation of porous nano-materials revealed that the use of kaurane diterpenoids molecules from steviol as biological template favors the obtaining of metallic oxides with tubular morphology as nanorods or nanofibers. In this sense, the present contribution shows an analysis in order to understand how these glycosides of kaurane diterpenoids control the nucleation and growth of inorganic materials favoring the obtaining of these morphologies. For this purpose, it was necessary to carry out studies of the leaf aqueous extract of Stevia rebaudiana by HRTEM, FTIR and 1H-NMR.