Adsorption of Zn2+ ions onto NaA and NaX zeolites: Kinetic, equilibrium and thermodynamic studies

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials Vol. 173; no. 1-3; pp. 637 - 646
• Main Authors: NIBOU, D, MEKATEL, H, AMOKRANE, S, BARKAT, M, TRARI, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier 15.01.2010
• Subjects: Adsorption; Algorithms; Applied sciences; Chemical engineering; Crystallization, leaching, miscellaneous separations; Diffusion; Exact sciences and technology; General purification processes; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Indicators and Reagents; Kinetics; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Pollution; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Temperature; Thermodynamics; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Wastewaters; Water Purification; Water treatment and pollution; Zeolites - chemistry; Zinc - chemistry; Algeria; Second order; Enthalpy; Adsorption isotherm; Activation; Entropy; Modeling; Zinc (II) ions; Waste water; Batchwise; Internal structure; pH; Diffusion; Gibbs free energy; Kinetic; Crystallization; Zeolite; Uptake; Sorption; Microporosity; Adsorption; Thermodynamic parameter; Kinetics; Thermodynamic properties; Microporous zeolite; Thermodynamic
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2009.08.132

The adsorption of Zn(2+) onto NaA and NaX zeolites was investigated. The samples were synthesized according to a hydrothermal crystallization using aluminium isopropoxide (Al[OCH(CH(3))(2)](3)) as a new alumina source. The effects of pH, initial concentration, solid/liquid ratio and temperature were studied in batch experiments. The Freundlich and the Langmuir models were applied and the adsorption equilibrium followed Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The uptake distribution coefficient (K(d)) indicated that the Zn(2+) removal was the highest at minimum concentration. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated. The negative values of standard enthalpy of adsorption revealed the exothermic nature of the adsorption process whereas the negative activation entropies reflected that no significant change occurs in the internal structure of the zeolites solid matrix during the sorption of Zn(2+). The negative values of Gibbs free energy were indicative of the spontaneity of the adsorption process. Analysis of the kinetic and rate data revealed that the pseudo second-order sorption mechanism is predominant and the intra particle diffusion was the determining step for the sorption of zinc ions. The obtained optimal parameters have been applied to wastewater from the industrial zone (Algeria) in order to remove the contained zinc effluents.