Abstract
The adsorption capacity of seven inorganic solid wastes [air-cooled blast furnace (BF) slag, water-quenched BF slag, steel furnace slag, coal fly ash, coal bottom ash, water treatment (alum) sludge and seawater-neutralized red mud] for Cd2+, Cu2+, Pb2+, Zn2+ and Cr3+ was determined at two metal concentrations (10 and 100 mg L−1) and three equilibrium pH values (4.0, 6.0 and 8.0) in batch adsorption experiments. All materials had the ability to remove metal cations from aqueous solution (fly and bottom ash were the least effective), their relative abilities were partially pH dependant and adsorption increased greatly with increasing pH. At equimolar concentrations of added metal, the magnitude of sorption at pH 6.0 followed the general order: Cr3+ ≥ Pb2+ ≥ Cu2+ > Zn2+ = Cd2+. The amounts of previously sorbed Pb and Cd desorbed in 0.01 M NaNO3 electrolyte were very small, but those removed with 0.01 M HNO3, and more particularly 0.10 M HNO3, were substantial. Water treatment sludge was shown to maintain its Pb and Cd adsorption capability (pH 6.0) over eight successive cycles of adsorption/regeneration using 0.10 M HNO3 as a regenerating agent. By contrast, for BF slag and red mud, there was a very pronounced decline in adsorption of both Pb and Cd after only one regeneration cycle. A comparison of Pb and Cd adsorption isotherms at pH 6.0 for untreated and acid-pre-treated materials confirmed that for water treatment sludge acid pre-treatment had no significant effect, but for BF slag and red mud, adsorption was greatly reduced. This was explained in terms of residual surface alkalinity being the key factor contributing to the high adsorption capability of the latter two materials, and acid pre-treatment results in neutralization of much of this alkalinity. It was concluded that acid is not a suitable regenerating agent for slags and red mud and that further research and development with water treatment sludge as a metal adsorbent are warranted.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aitken, R. L., Campbell, D. J., & Bell, L. C. (1984). Properties of Australian fly ashes relevant to their agronomic utilization. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 22(4), 443–453.
Apak, R. (2002). Adsorption of heavy metal ions on soil surfaces and similar substances. In A. T. Hubbard (Ed.), Encyclopedia of surface and colloid science (pp. 385–417). New York: Marcel Dekker.
Babatunde, A. O., & Zhao, Y. Q. (2007). Constructive approaches toward water treatment works sludge management: An international review of beneficial reuses. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology, 37(2), 129–164.
Babel, S., & Kurniawan, T. A. (2003). Low-cost adsorbents for heavy metals uptake from contaminated water: A review. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 97(1–3), 219–243.
Bailey, S. E., Olin, T. J., Bricka, R. M., & Adrian, O. A. (1999). A review of potentially low-cost sorbents for heavy metals. Water Research, 33(12), 2469–2479.
Bradl, H. B. (2004). Adsorption of metal ions on soils and soils constituents. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 277(1), 1–18.
Chu, W. (1999). Lead removal by recycled alum sludge. Water Research, 33(13), 3019–3025.
Das, B., Prakash, S., Reddy, P. S. R., & Misra, V. N. (2007). An overview of the utilization of slag and sludge from steel industries. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 50(1), 40–57.
Dimitrova, S., & Mehandjiev, D. R. (2000). Interaction of blast-furnace slag with heavy metal ions in water solutions. Water Research, 34(6), 1957–1961.
Erol, M., Kucukbayrak, S., Ersoy-Mericboyu, A., & Ulubas, T. (2005). Removal of Cu2+ and Pb2+ in aqueous solutions by fly ash. Energy Conversion and Management, 46(7–8), 1319–1331.
Faust, D., & Aly, O. M. (1998). Chemistry of water treatment. Boca Raton: CRC.
Gupta, V. K., & Ali, I. (2002). Adsorbents for water treatment: low-cost alternatives to carbon. In A. T. Hubbard (Ed.), Encyclopedia of surface and colloid science (Vol. 1, pp. 136–166). Marcel Dekker: New York.
Hanahan, C., McConchie, D., Pohl, J., Creelman, R., Clark, M., & Stoksiek, C. (2004). Chemistry of seawater neutralization of bauxite refinery residues (red mud). Environmental Engineering Science, 21(2), 125–138.
Hequet, V., Ricou, P., Lecuyer, I., & Le Cloirec, P. (2001). Removal of Cu2+ and Zn2+ in aqueous solutions by sorption onto mixed fly ash. Fuel, 80(6), 851–856.
Hovsepyan, A., & Bonzongo, J.-C. J. (2009). Aluminium drinking water treatment residuals (Al-WTRs) as sorbent for mercury: implications for soil remediation. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 164(1), 73–80.
McBride, M. B. (2000). Chemisorption and precipitation reactions. In M. E. Sumner (Ed.), Handbook of soil science (pp. B 265–B 302). Boca Raton: CRC.
Paramguru, R. K., Rath, P. C., & Misra, V. N. (2005). Trends in red mud utilization—A review. Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy Review, 26(1), 1–29.
Pathan, S. M., Alymore, L. A. G., & Colmer, T. D. (2003). Properties of several fly ash materials in relation to use as soil amendments. Journal of Environmental Quality, 32(2), 687–693.
Rayment, G. E., & Higginson, F. R. (1992). Australian handbook of soil and water chemical methods. Melbourne: Inkata.
Saha, U. K., Taniguchi, S., & Sakurai, K. (2001). Adsorption behaviour of cadmium, zinc, and lead on hydroxyaluminium- and hydroxyaluminosilicate-montmorillonite complexes. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 65(3), 694–703.
Santona, L., Castaldi, P., & Melis, P. (2006). Evaluation of the interaction mechanisms between red muds and heavy metals. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 136(2), 324–329.
Sparks, D. L. (2003). Environmental soil chemistry (2nd ed.). Amsterdam: Academic.
Sposito, G. (1989). The chemistry of soils. New York: Oxford University Press.
Treybal, R. E. (1980). Mass transfer operations (3rd ed.). McGraw-Hill: New York.
USEPA (1992). The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure. USEPA, Washington, DC: US Code of Federal Regulations, 40th Edition, Part 261, Appendix II.
Wang, S., & Wu, H. (2006). Environmentally-benign utilisation of fly ash as low-cost adsorbents. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 136(3), 482–501.
Wang, S., Ang, H. M., & Tade, M. O. (2008). Novel applications of red mud as coagulant, adsorbent and catalyst for environmentally benign processes. Chemosphere, 72(2), 1621–1635.
Zhou, Y.-F., & Haynes, R. J. (2010). Sorption of heavy metals by inorganic and organic components of solid wastes: Significance to use of wastes as low cost adsorbents and immobilizing agents. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology (in press).
Acknowledgements
We thank Alan O’Brien of BlueScope Steel Ltd. for supplying the blast furnace and steel slags, Paul Vievers of Tarong Energy for supplying the fly and bottom ash, the late Dr. David McConchie of Virotec International for supplying the Bauxsol and Robert Townsley of Seqwater (Mt. Crosby) for supplying the water treatment sludge. We are indebted to Mark Raven of CSIRO Land and Water for mineralogical analysis of the materials, Dr. Xin-Lin Hong of Wuhan University College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences for surface area determinations and David Appleton of the University of Queensland for the metal determination.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhou, YF., Haynes, R.J. A Comparison of Inorganic Solid Wastes as Adsorbents of Heavy Metal Cations in Aqueous Solution and Their Capacity for Desorption and Regeneration. Water Air Soil Pollut 218, 457–470 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0659-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-010-0659-7