Effect of precipitation pH and coexisting magnesium ion on phosphate adsorption onto hydrous zirconium oxide

To understand the effect of precipitation pH and coexisting Mg^(2+) on phosphate adsorption onto zirconium oxide(ZrO_2), ZrO_2 particles precipitated at pH 5.3, 7.1 and 10.5, i.e., ZrO_2(5.3), ZrO_2(7.1)and ZrO_2(10.5), respectively were prepared and characterized, then their adsorption performance and mechanism in the absence and presence of Mg^(2+) were comparatively investigated in this study. The results showed that the Elovich, pseudo-second-order and Langmuir isotherm models correlated with the experimental data well. The adsorption mechanism involved the complexation between phosphate and zirconium. Coexisting Mg^(2+) slightly inhibited the adsorption of phosphate on ZrO_2(5.3), including the adsorption capacity and rate, but coexisting Mg^(2+) greatly increased the adsorption capacity and rate for ZrO_2(7.1)and ZrO_2(10.5). The enhanced adsorption of phosphate on ZrO_2(7.1) and ZrO_2(10.5) in the presence of Mg^(2+) was mainly due to the formation of Mg^(2+)-HPO_4^(2-) ion pair(MgHPO_4~0) in the solution and then the adsorption of MgHPO_4~0 on the adsorbent surface, forming the phosphatebridged ternary complex Zr(OPO_3H)Mg. In the absence of Mg^(2+) , the maximum phosphate adsorption capacity at pH 7 calculated from the Langmuir isotherm model decreased in the order of ZrO 2(7.1)(67.3 mg/g) > ZrO_2(5.3)(53.6 mg/g) ≈ ZrO_2(10.5)(53.1 mg/g), but it followed the order of Zr O2(7.1)(97.0 mg/g) > ZrO_2(10.5)(79.7 mg/g) > ZrO_2(5.3)(51.3 mg/g) in the presence of Mg^(2+) . The results of this work suggest that ZrO_2(7.1) is more suitable for use as an adsorbent for the effective removal of phosphate from municipal wastewater than ZrO_2(5.3) and ZrO_2(10.5),because Mg^(2+) is generally present in this wastewater.

Removal of humic acid from aqueous solution by cetylpyridinium bromide modified zeolite

Natural zeolite was modified by loading cetylpyridinium bromide （CPB） to create more efficient sites for humic acid （HA） adsorption. The natural and CPB modified zeolites were characterized with X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The effects of various experimental parameters such as contact time, initial HA concentration, solution pH and coexistent Ca^2＋, upon HA adsorption onto CPB modified zeolites were evaluated. The results showed that natural zeolite had negligible affinity for HA in aqueous solutions, but CPB modified zeolites exhibited high adsorption efficiency for HA. A higher CPB loading on natural zeolites exhibited a larger HA adsorption capacity. Acidic pH and coexistent Ca^2＋ were proved to be favorable for HA adsorption onto CPB modified zeolite. The kinetic process was well described by pseudo second-order model. The experimental isotherm data fitted well to Langmuir and Sips models. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of CPB modified zeolite with surfactant bilayer coverage was found to be 92.0 mg/g.

Adsorption of humic acid from aqueous solution on bilayer hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide-modified zeolite

Surfactant-modified natural zeolites(SMNZ)with different coverage types were prepared by loading hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide(HTAB)onto the surface of a natural zeolite.The adsorption behavior of humic acid(HA)on SMNZ was investigated.Results indicate that the adsorbent SMNZ exhibited a higher affinity toward HA than the natural zeolite.HA removal efficiency by SMNZ increased with HTAB loading.Coexisting Ca2+in solution favored HA adsorption onto SMNZ.Adsorption capacity decreased with an increasing solution pH.For typical SMNZ with bilayer HTAB coverage,HA adsorption process is well described by a pseudo-second-order kinetic model.The experimental isotherm data fitted well with the Langmuir model.Calculated maximum HA adsorption capacities for SMNZ with bilayer HTAB coverage at pH 5.5 and 7.5 were 63 and 41 mg·g^(-1),respectively.E2/E3(absorbance at 250 nm to that at 365 nm)and E4/E6(absorbance at 465 nm to that at 665 nm)ratios of the residual HA in solution were lower than that of the original HA solution.This indicates that the HA fractions with high polar functional groups,low molecular weight(MW),and aromaticity had a stronger tendency for adsorption onto SMNZ with bilayer HTAB coverage.Results show that HTABmodified natural zeolite is a promising adsorbent for removal of HA from aqueous solution.