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Characteristics, modification and environmental application of Yemen’s natural bentonite

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Abstract

The bentonite deposit of Lahij Province, Yemen, has very promising commercial applications due to its mineralogy and physical and chemical properties. It was examined to determine its mineralogical composition, chemical and physical properties of the bentonite deposit, purity and sodium-exchanged bentonite. Modified bentonite was synthesized by exchanging cetyltrimethylammonium cations for inorganic ions on the bentonite and its adsorption properties for ammonium were characterized in batch experiments. Analytical methods were carried out to study the bentonite comprising X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy, chemical analysis and kinetic and isotherm models were also tested. The results have shown that the purification of bentonite resulted in a bentonite fractions of the total sample composed of montmorillonite and <5 % quartz. The XRD data showed that the interlayer spacing (d 001) of bentonite decreased from 15.3 to 12.5 Å and then increased to 19.7 Å. Moreover, high cation exchange capacity, good water absorption and high swelling capacity were also obtained. The results have shown that the modified bentonite was more effective than the natural bentonite for ammonium removal. In addition to that, pseudo-second-order kinetic model, Freundlich and the Langmuir models described the adsorption kinetics and isotherm well. It was concluded that Yemen (Alaslef) bentonite can be potential adsorbents for ammonium removal.

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Acknowledgments

A. Alshameri wishes to thank the Geological Survey and Mineral Resources Board, Sana’a, Yemen, and Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Education Ministry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan for supporting this study. We are grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Education Ministry, China University of Geosciences, Lu Mo Road 388, Wuhan, 430074, People’s Republic of China

    Aref Alshameri & Chunjie Yan

  2. State Key Laboratory Of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China university of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, People’s Republic of China

    Alkhafaji R.Abood

  3. School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, People’s Republic of China

    Akhtar Malik Muhammad

Authors
  1. Aref Alshameri
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  2. Alkhafaji R.Abood
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  3. Chunjie Yan
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  4. Akhtar Malik Muhammad
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Correspondence to Chunjie Yan.

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Alshameri, A., R.Abood, A., Yan, C. et al. Characteristics, modification and environmental application of Yemen’s natural bentonite. Arab J Geosci 7, 841–853 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-013-0855-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-013-0855-z

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