Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Removal of Cu(II), Zn(II) and Co(II) ions from aqueous solutions by adsorption onto natural bentonite

  • Published:
Adsorption Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study, the removal of Cu(II), Zn(II) and Co(II) ions from aqueous solutions using the adsorption process onto natural bentonite has been investigated as a function of initial metal concentration, pH and temperature. In order to find out the effect of temperature on adsorption, the experiments were conducted at 20, 50, 75 and 90 °C. For all the metal cations studied, the maximum adsorption was observed at 20 °C. The batch method has been employed using initial metal concentrations in solution ranging from 15 to 70 mg L−1 at pH 3.0, 5.0, 7.0 and 9.0. A flame atomic absorption spectrometer was used for measuring the heavy metal concentrations before and after adsorption. The percentage adsorption and distribution coefficients (K d) were determined for the adsorption system as a function of adsorbate concentration. In the ion exchange evaluation part of the study, it is determined that in every concentration range, adsorption ratios of bentonitic clay-heavy metal cations match to Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Kaganer-Radushkevich (DKR) adsorption isotherm data, adding to that every cation exchange capacity of metals has been calculated. It is shown that the bentonite is sensitive to pH changes, so that the amounts of heavy metal cations adsorbed increase as pH increase in adsorbent-adsorbate system. It is evident that the adsorption phenomena depend on the surface charge density of adsorbent and hydrated ion diameter depending upon the solution pH. According to the adsorption equilibrium studies, the selectivity order can be given as Zn2+>Cu2+>Co2+. These results show that bentonitic clay hold great potential to remove the relevant heavy metal cations from industrial wastewater. Also, from the results of the thermodynamic analysis, standard free energy ΔG 0, standard enthalpy ΔH 0 and standard entropy ΔS 0 of the adsorption process were calculated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Altındoğan, H.S., Altındoğan, S., Tümen, F., Bildik, M.: Arsenic removal from aqueous solutions by adsorption on red mud. Waste Manag. 20, 761–767 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barrow, G.M.: Physical Chemistry, sixth edn., McGraw-Hill, North America (1996) p. 344

    Google Scholar 

  • Barton, S.S.: Adsorption of methylene blue by active carbons. Carbon 25, 533–538 (1987)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bereket, G., Aroğuz, A.Z., Özel, M.Z.: Removal of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Zn(II) from aqueous solutions by adsorption bentonite. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 187, 338–343 (1997)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blackman, A.G.: Bentonites, major market. Civ. Eng. Ind. Miner. 25, 23–25 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Grimshaw, R.W.: The Chemistry and Physics of Clays and other Ceramic Raw Materials, fourth edn. revised, Wiley-InterScience, New York (1972) p. 1024

    Google Scholar 

  • Gutierrez, M., Fuentes, H.R.: A Langmuir isotherm-based prediction of competitive sorption of Sr, Cs and Co in Ca-montmorillonite. Waste Manag. 13, 327–332 (1993)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hasany, S.M., Saeed, M.M., Ahmed, M.: Sorption and thermodynamic behavior of Zn(II)-thiocyanate complexes onto polyurethane foam from acidic solutions. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 252(3), 477–484 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Helfferich, E.: Ion Exchange. McGraw-Hill, New York (1962) p. 166

    Google Scholar 

  • Heyes, K.F., Lockie, J.O.: Modeling ionic strength effect on cation adsorption at hydrous oxide/solution interfaces. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 47, 564–572 (1987)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ikram, M., Rauf, M.A., Rauf, N.: Trace level removal studies of Cr(III) from aqueous solution. J. Trace Microprobe Tech. 20(1), 119–125 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jeong, C.H., et al.: Effect of ionic strength and pH on Cs and Sr sorption of Na-bentonite. J. Korean Soc. Environ. Eng. 17, 359–367 (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jou, A.S.R., Ayanlaja, S.S., Ogunwole, J.A.: An evaluation of the cation exchange capacity measurements of soils in the tropics. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Analysis 7, 751–761 (1976)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kara, M., Yuzer, H., Sabah, E., Celik, M.S.: Adsorption of cobalt from aqueous solutions onto sepiolite. Water Res. 37, 224–232 (2003)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan, S.A., Rehman, U.R., Khan, M.A.: Sorption of strontium on bentonite. Waste Manag. 15(8), 641–650 (1995a)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan, S.A., Rehman, U.R., Khan, M.A.: Adsorption of chromium(III), chromium(VI) and silver(I) on bentonite. Waste Manag. 15(4), 271–282 (1995b)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kozar, S., Bilinski, H., Branica, M., Schwugar, M.: Adsorption of Cd(II) and Pb(II) on bentonite under estuarine and seawater conditions. J. Sci. Total Environ. 121, 203–216 (1992)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Langmuir, I.: The Adsorption of gases on plane surfaces of glass, mica and platinum. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 40, 1361–1405 (1918)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, J.-O., Cho, W.-J., Kang, C.-H.: Adsorption of Lead and Nickel Ions by a Ca-Bentonite, Treatment technologies I: characterizing soils and groundwater for cleanup planning, Sequoyah Convention, September 25, 2000

  • Levine, I.N.: Physical Chemistry, fourth edn. McGraw-Hill, North America (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mellah, A., Chegrouche, S.: The removal of Zinc from aqueous solutions by natural bentonite. Water Res. 31(3), 621–629 (1997)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miles, W.J.: Crystalline silica analysis Wyoming bentonite by X-ray diffraction after phosphoric acid digestion. Anal. Chim. Acta 286(1), 97–105 (1994)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naseem, R., Tahir, S.S.: Removal of Pb(II) from aqueous/acidic solutions by using bentonite as an adsorbent. Water Res. 35(16), 3982–3986 (2001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Olguin, M.T., Rios, M.S., Acosta, D., Bosch, P., Bulbulian, S.: UO 2+2 sorption on bentonite. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 218(1), 65–69 (1997)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Orumwense, F.F.O.: Removal of lead from water by adsorption on a kaolinitic clay. J. Cem. Technol. Biotechnol. 65(4), 363–369 (1996)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Patterson, S.H., Murray, H.H.: Clays in Industrial Minerals and Rocks, fourth edn., pp. 519–585. Am. Inst. Min. Metall. Petrol. Eng. Inc., New York (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pradas, E.G., Sanchez, M.V.A., Perez, M.F., Viciana, M.S.: Adsorption of malathion from aqueous solution on homoionic bentonite samples. Agrochimica 37(12), 104–110 (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  • Puls, R.W., Bohn, H.L.: Sorption of Cd(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) by kaolinite and montmorillonite suspensions. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J. 52(5), 1289–1292 (1988)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Qadeer, R., Hanif, J., Saleem, M., Afzal, M.: Adsorption of gadolinium on activated-charcoal from electrolytic aqueous solution. Nucl. Chem. Articles 159(1), 155–165 (1992)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rao, M., Parwate, A.V., Bhole, A.G.: Removal of Cr and Ni from aqueous solutions using Bagasse and fly ash. Waste Manag. 22, 821–830 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rauf, N., Ikram, M., Tahir, S.S.: Adsorption studies of Cu(II) from aqueous/acidic solutions onto bentonite. Adsor. Sci. Technol. 17(5), 431–440 (1999)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saleem, M., Afzal, M., Qadeer, R., Hanif, J.: Selective adsorption of uranium on activated-charcoal rom electrolytic aqueous solutions. Sep. Sci. Tech. 27(2), 239–253 (1992)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sparks, D.L.: Environmental Soil Chemistry. Academic Press Inc., California (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, J.M., Thomas, W.J.: Introduction to the Principles of Heterogeneous Catalysis. Academic Press, London (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Westrich, H.R., Cygan, R.T., Brady, P.V., Nagy, K.L., Anderson, H.L.: Sorption Behaviour of Cs and Cd onto Oxide and Clay Surfaces, Govt. Reports, Announcements and Index (GRA&I), Issue-18 (1995)

  • Zhang, Z.Z., Sparks, D.L., Scrivner, N.S.: Sorption and desorption of quaternary amine cations on clays. Environ. Sci. Technol. 27(8), 1625–1631 (1993)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Sciences & Arts, Department of Chemistry, University of Yüzüncü Yıl, 65080, Van, Turkey

    Ş. Kubilay, A. Savran & T. Şahan

  2. Faculty of Sciences & Arts, Department of Chemistry, University of Cumhuriyet, 58140, Sivas, Turkey

    R. Gürkan

Authors
  1. Ş. Kubilay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. Gürkan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Savran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. T. Şahan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Gürkan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kubilay, Ş., Gürkan, R., Savran, A. et al. Removal of Cu(II), Zn(II) and Co(II) ions from aqueous solutions by adsorption onto natural bentonite. Adsorption 13, 41–51 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10450-007-9003-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10450-007-9003-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation