Temperature effect on the zeta potential and fluoride adsorption at the alpha-Al2O3/aqueous solution interface

The effect of temperature and pH on the zeta potential of alpha-Al2O3 and adsorption of fluoride ions at the alpha-Al2O3/aqueous solution interface has been investigated through electrophoretic mobility measurements and adsorption studies, to delineate mechanisms involved in the removal of fluoride ions from water using alumina as adsorbent. When the temperature increases from 10 to 40 degrees C, the pH of the point of zero charge (pH(pzc)) shifts to smaller values, indicating proton desorption from the alumina surface. The pH(pzc) increases linearly with 1/T, which allowed estimation of the standard enthalpy change for the surface-deprotonation process. Fluoride ion adsorption follows a Langmuir-type adsorption isotherm and is affected by the electric charge at the alpha-Al2O3/aqueous solution interface and the surface density of hydroxyl groups. Such adsorption occurs through an exchange between fluoride ions and surface-hydroxyl groups and it depends on temperature, pH, and initial fluoride ion concentration. At 25 and 40 degrees C, maximum fluoride adsorption density takes place between pH 5 and 6. Increasing the temperature from 25 to 40 degrees C lowers the adsorption density of fluoride.     

Adsorption of urea onto granular activated alumina: A comparative study with granular activated carbon

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the ability of granular activated alumina to remove urea from wastewater through adsorption, and compared its performance with granular activated carbon. XRF, EDX, XRD, and TGA were used to investigate the adsorbents. The removal of urea as a function of pH value was studied. The point of zero charge for activated alumina was found to be 8.8, while that for activated carbon was found to be 7.1. The experimental data of the adsorption process were explored by fitting to different kinetic models to determine the adsorption kinetics and mechanisms. Then, the equilibrium data were examined by fitting to various two-parameter and three-parameter isotherm models. Results showed that the removal efficiency increased with the increasing pH value. The maximum removal efficiencies were 24% and 31% for granular activated alumina and granular activated carbon, respectively, at pH?=?9.0. Kinetic studies showed that adsorption of urea onto both activated alumina and activated carbon can be expressed by pseudo second order kinetics. Equilibrium studies showed that the adsorption isotherms could be expressed by the Redlich-Peterson isotherm and Temkin isotherm for activated alumina and activated carbon, respectively. Adsorbents were investigated using FTIR and SEM, and results showed the occurrence of adsorption.     

碳纳米管负载氧化铝材料的制备及其吸附水中氟离子的研究

采用碳纳米管和硝酸铝制备了碳纳米管负载氧化铝新型除氟材料.X射线衍射检测发现,当焙烧温度低于850℃时,氧化铝为无定形态,当焙烧温度为1050℃时,氧化铝为α形态,扫描电子显微镜观察到碳纳米管与氧化铝均匀掺杂.同时用碳纳米管负载氧化铝复合材料进行水中氟离子的吸附研究,结果表明,该复合材料具有优良的除氟效能.氧化铝负载量为30%、焙烧温度为450℃条件下制备的碳纳米管负载氧化铝复合材料的吸附除氟能力是γ-氧化铝的2.0～3.5倍,与IRA-410聚合树脂的吸附除氟能力相当,适宜pH范围为5.0～9.0,吸附等温线符合Freundlich方程.     

由单层薄水铝石制备的活性氧化铝处理水中氟离子

The preparation of high-efficiency and low-cost adsorbents for the defluoridation of drinking water remains a huge challenge. In this study, single-layer and multi-layer boehmite were first synthesized via an organic-free method, and active alumina used for fluoride removal from water was obtained from the boehmite. The advantage of a single layer is that more aluminum is exposed to the surface, which can provide more adsorption sites for fluoride. The active alumina adsorbent derived from single-layer boehmite exhibits a high specific surface area and excellent adsorption capacity. The high surface area ensures a high adsorption capacity, and the organic-free synthesis method lowers the preparation cost. The as-prepared adsorbent was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis. The single-layer structure of boehmite was determined from the simulated XRD diffraction pattern of single-layer boehmite. The disappearance of the (020) diffraction peak of boehmite illustrates that the dimensions in the b direction are extremely small, and according to the XRD simulation results, the single-layer structure of boehmite could be determined. Single-layer boehmite with a surface area of 789.4 m²·g^-1 was formed first. The active alumina obtained from the boehmite had a surface area of 678.4 m²·g^-1, and the pore volume was 3.20 cm³·g^-1. The fluoride adsorption of the active alumina was systematically studied as a function of the adsorbent dosage, contact time, concentration, co-existing anions, and pH. The fluoride adsorption capacity of the active alumina obtained from the single-layer boehmite reached up to 67.6 mg·g^-1, which is higher than those of most alumina adsorbents reported in the literature. The adsorption capacities of the active alumina are related to the specific surface area and the number of hydroxyl groups on the surface. Dosages of 0.6, 1.0, and 2.6 g·L^-1 of active alumina were able to lower the 10, 20, and 50 mg·L^-1 fluoride solutions, respectively, below the maximum permissible limit of fluoride in drinking water in China (1.0 mg·L^-1), suggesting that the active alumina synthesized in this work is a promising adsorbent for defluoridation of drinking water. In addition, the fluoride adsorption is applicable in a wide pH range from 4 to 9 and is mainly interfered by SO₄^2- and PO₄^3-. Further investigation suggested that the fluoride adsorption of the active alumina follows the pseudo second-order model and Langmuir isotherm model     

Adsorption of fluoride, phosphate, and arsenate ions on a new type of ion exchange fiber

A new type of ion exchange fiber for the removal of fluoride, phosphate, and arsenate ions has been developed. A batch adsorption technique for investigating adsorption kinetic and equilibrium parameters and determining pH adsorption edges is applied. It is shown that the adsorption properties of the ion exchange fiber for fluoride, phosphate, and arsenate ions depend on the pH value and anion concentration. The adsorption of arsenate on the sorbent reaches a maximum of 97.9% in the pH value range of 3.5 to 7.0. The adsorption percentage of phosphate is more than 99% in the pH range of 3.0 to 5.5. The adsorption of fluoride on the ion exchange fiber is found to be 90.4% at pH 3.0. The Freundlich model can describe the adsorption equilibrium data of fluoride, arsenate, and phosphate anions. The sorption of the three anions on the ion exchange fiber is a rapid process, and the adsorption kinetic data can be simulated very well by the pseudo-second-order rate equation. The column performance is carried out to assess the applicability of the ion exchange fiber for the removal of fluoride, phosphate, and arsenate ions from synthetic wastewaters with satisfactory removal efficiency. The desorption experiment shows that fluoride ion sorbed by the fiber column can be quantitatively desorbed with 5 mL of 0.50 mol/L NaOH at elution rate of 1 mL/min, and 30 mL of NaOH is necessary for the quantitative recovery of phosphate and arsenate ions.     

活性氧化铝及其再生氧化铝对水中氟离子的吸附

Fluoride contamination of water is a problem worldwide and has caused great concern. Our study focused on the removal of fluorides from aqueous solutions using newly prepared and regenerated activated alumina. To obtain a suitable adsorbent, industrial boehmite was calcined from 573 K to 1473 K and the sample was characterized. The X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the sample was transformed to γ-alumina (activated alumina) at temperatures from 773 K to 1173 K, and the BET dates showed that the specific surface area of the sample decreased gradually from the temperature of 773 K to 1173 K. In our study, the activated alumina calcined from 773 K to 973 K was selected as the defluoridation adsorbent, and dynamic adsorption was employed for the removal of fluorides from aqueous solutions. The breakthrough curves demonstrated that the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent decreased with increasing calcination temperature. To investigate the effect of initial fluoride concentration on the adsorption capacity, 15 mg·L^-1, 20 mg·L^-1, and 25 mg·L^-1 fluoride solutions were selected as the initial aqueous fluoride solution. As a result, the capacity of the adsorbent increased gradually with the increase in the initial fluoride concentration. In order to improve the capacity, we also studied the regeneration process in our experiment. When the activated alumina was saturated by the fluorides, it was regenerated with a NaOH solution (pH = 13.0, 13.3, 13.5) and activated with a HCl solution (0.1 mol·L^-1). By a comparison of the five desorption and Al³⁺ dissolution rates during the regeneration process, it was determined that the NaOH solution with pH 13.0 was the most suitable desorption agent. An analysis of the nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm showed that its sharpness was almost unchanged after regeneration, which indicated that the pore structure of the adsorbent was not destroyed during this process. The change in the specific surface area and isoelectric point for the five-times regenerated adsorbent were important impact factors for fluoride adsorption. The specific surface area of the regenerated adsorbent increased, and the study of the zeta potential demonstrated that the isoelectric point also increased after regeneration. To observe the adsorption effect of regenerated activated alumina, we performed an adsorption experiment after each regeneration. The breakthrough curves demonstrated that the regenerated activated alumina exhibited faster saturation and increased adsorption capacity compared to fresh activated alumina. To elucidate the adsorption mechanism, IR spectroscopy was employed to characterize the O―H band of the adsorbent. The change in the Al―O―H content of the activated alumina during regeneration was the main factor impacting the fluoride adsorption capacity of the activated alumina.     

Th(IV) adsorption on alumina: effects of contact time, pH, ionic strength and phosphate

Adsorption of Th(IV) (total concentration, 10(-5)-10(-4) mol/L) was studied by a batch technique. The effects of pH, ionic strength, contact time, and phosphate on the adsorption of Th(IV) onto alumina were investigated. Adsorption isotherms of Th(IV) on alumina at approximately constant pH and three ionic strengths (0.05, 0.1, 0.5 mol/L KNO3) were determined. It was found that the pH values of aqueous solutions of both the Th(IV)-alumina and phosphate-alumina adsorption systems increase with increasing contact time, respectively. Adsorption of Th(IV) on alumina steeply increases with increasing pH from 1 to 4.5 and the adsorption edge consists of three regions. The phosphate added clearly enhances Th(IV) adsorption in the pH range 1-4. From the adsorption isotherms at approximately constant pH and three different ionic strengths, a reduced ionic strength effect was observed and is contradictory to the insensitive effect obtained from the adsorption edges on three oxides of Fe, Al, and Si at different ionic strengths. Compared with the adsorption edges at different ionic strengths, the adsorption isotherms at approximately constant pH and different ionic strengths are more advantageous in the investigation of ionic strength effect. The significantly positive effect of phosphate on Th(IV) adsorption onto alumina was attributed to strong surface binding of phosphate on alumina and the subsequent formation of ternary surface complexes involving Th(IV) and phosphate.     

磷酸铝吸附除水中氟的研究

采用静态吸附法研究了比表面为308m2/g的无定形磷酸铝吸附除氟性能,研究了接触时间、pH值、吸附剂量等对吸附的影响。结果表明,磷酸铝吸附除氟高效、迅速,30min内可以接近最大吸附量。对含氟50mg/g的溶液,优化条件下的最大除氟率约93%。研究了吸附与溶液pH的关系,得到了优化pH值并解释了吸附机理。吸附的最佳pH值约为5.5。用拟二级动力学方程描述了吸附速率并计算了速率常数。用Langmuir方程拟合了吸附等温线,计算的饱和吸附量为53.5mg/g。吸附剂量对分配系数的影响表明吸附剂表面是不均匀的。     

Adsorption of fluoride from aqueous solution by graphene

A batch adsorption system was applied to investigate the adsorption of fluoride from aqueous solution by graphene. The adsorption capacities and rates of fluoride onto graphene at different initial pH, contact time, and temperature were evaluated. The experimental results showed that graphene is an excellent fluoride adsorbent with an adsorption capacity of up to 17.65 mg/g at initial fluoride concentration of 25 mg/L and temperature of 298 K. The isotherm analysis indicated that the adsorption data can be well described by Langmuir isotherm model. Thermodynamic studies revealed that the adsorption reaction was a spontaneous and endothermic process.     

Fluoride and lead adsorption on carbon nanotubes

The properties and applications of CNT have been studied extensively since Iijima discovered them in 1991[1,2]. They have exceptional mechanical properties and unique electrical property, highly chemical stability and large specific surface area. Thus far, they have widely potential applications in many fields. They can be used as reinforcing materials in composites[3], field emissions[4], hydrogen storage[5], nanoelectronic components[6], catalyst supports[7], adsorption material and so on.…     

Removal of heavy metals by using adsorption on alumina or chitosan

The removal of heavy metals from wastewater by using activated alumina or chitosan as adsorbers was evaluated. Cd(II) and Cr(III) were employed as models of the behaviour of divalent and trivalent metal ions. The adsorption of Cd(II) and Cr(III) onto the adsorbers evaluated was studied as a function of pH, time, amount of adsorber, concentration of metal ions and sample volume. A 0.4-g portion of activated alumina can retain 0.6 mg Cr(III) and 0.2 mg Cd(II) from 20 mL sample adjusted at pH 4 and stirred for 30 min. It is therefore possible to totally decontaminate 500 mL of a waste containing 5 mg L(-1) Cd(II) and Cr(III) with 10 g alumina. On the other hand, 0.4 g chitosan can totally decontaminate 20 mL of a pH 5 solution containing up to 50 mg L(-1) Cd(II) and Cr(III). A 99.2+/-0.1% retention of Cd(II) and 83+/-1% retention of Cr(III) was obtained from 500 mL of a laboratory waste. The aforementioned strategies were applied for the minimization of analytical chemistry teaching laboratories and atomic spectrometry laboratory wastes. On comparing both adsorbers it can be concluded that chitosan is more preferable than alumina due to the reduced price of chitosan and the absence of side-pollution effects.     

Removal of Disperse Dyes from Water Using Surfactant Treated Alumina

An alumina surface was modified by adsorption of an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Typical S‐shaped isotherm of surfactant on alumina was observed. The adsorption of Disperse Red‐11, Disperse Blue‐26 and Disperse Red‐156 on alumina and surfactant treated alumina has been investigated. The enhancement in adsorption of these disperse dyes on surfactant treated alumina is observed, which may be attributed to their solubilization in surfactant aggregates formed at the solid/liquid interface. The effect of pH on adsorption has been studied. The adsorption is greatly influenced by pH of the medium. The applicability of the Langmuir model and the Dual‐Mode sorption model (DSM) were tested for equilibrium data.     

Optimization of environmental friendly process for removal of cadmium from wastewater

Simple, efficient and eco-friendly electrochemical method for removal and recovery of Cd(II) from wastewater has been studied. Experiments were carried out in a batch electrochemical reactor with iron electrodes. The removal was examined at different pH values and electrical potentials. It was observed that the experiments carried out at 20 V and at pH 9 were sufficient for the maximum removal of Cd(II). This method is highly efficient in removal of Cd(II) from wastewater containing up to 1000 mg L^?1. The removal is faster in comparison with the adsorption on activated carbon, which is one of the most important requirements for practical application of this treatment method. In this process, the use of different electrical potentials can provide a wide range of pH values for performing this process. The removal data were used to determine the adsorption kinetics by using the first-order adsorption kinetics model. The data can be analyzed in terms of various adsorption models. The results of Cd(II) removal from real samples indicate that the method used in this study can provide an efficient and cost-effective technology for the treatment of Cd(II)-containing wastewater. The parameters can be used for designing a plant for an economical treatment of Cd(II)-rich water and wastewater.     

Interactions of L-alanine with alumina as studied by vibrational spectroscopy

The interactions of L-alanine with gamma- and alpha-alumina have been investigated by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). L-alanine/alumina samples were dried from aqueous suspensions, at 36.5 degrees C, with two amino acid concentrations (0.4 and 0.8 mmol g-1) and at different pH values (1, 6, and 13). The vibrational spectra proved that the nature of L-alanine interactions with both aluminas is the same (hydrogen bonding), although the groups involved depend on the L-alanine form and on alumina surface groups, both controlled by the pH. For samples prepared at pH 1, cationic L-alanine [CH3CH(NH3+)COOH] displaces physisorbed water from alumina, and strong hydrogen bonds are established between the carbonyl groups of alanine, as electron donors, and the surface Al-OH2+ groups of alumina. This occurs at the expense of alanine dimer dissociation and breaking of intramolecular bonds. When samples are prepared at pH 6, the interacting groups are Al-OH2+ and the carboxylate groups of zwitterionic L-alanine [CH3CH(NH3+)COO-]. The affinity of L-alanine toward alumina decreases, as the strong NH3+...-OOC intermolecular hydrogen bonds prevail over the interactions with alumina. Thus, for a load of 0.8 mmol g-1, phase segregation is observed. On alpha-alumina, crystal deposition is even observed for a load of 0.4 mmol g-1. At pH 13, the carboxylate groups of anionic L-alanine [CH3CH(NH2)COO-] are not affected by alumina. Instead, hydrogen bond interactions occur between NH2 and the Al-OH surface groups of the substrate. Complementary N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms showed that adsorption of L-alanine occurs onto the alumina pore network for samples prepared at pH 1 and 13, whereas at pH 6 the amino acid/alumina interactions are not strong enough to promote adsorption. The mesoporous structure and the high specific surface area of gamma-alumina make it a more efficient substrate for adsorption of L-alanine. For each alumina, however, it is the nature of the specific interactions and not the porosity of the substrate that determines the adsorption process.     

Elimination of fluoride ions in water for human consumption using hydroxyapatite as an adsorbent

In this work, a synthetic hydroxyapatite, Bio-gel HTP, marketed by BIO-RAD®, has been studied in order to propose a method to remove the excess fluoride present in drinking water. The removal of fluoride ions by this adsorbent has been studied as a function of solution pH, and fluoride ion concentration. Experiments of fluoride ions sorption have been carried out with the use of ¹⁸F radiotracer in solutions of NaF at several concentrations with an ion selective electrode used for fluoride analysis. The adsorption isotherms show that the best fluoride adsorption on hydroxyapatite occurs at a pH range of 7.0–7.5. At this pH value the solid presents an important capacity of subtraction of fluoride, of around of 100 mmol/100 g.     

Conducting polymer/alumina composites as viable adsorbents for the removal of fluoride ions from aqueous solution

The polyaniline/alumina (PANi-AlO) and polypyrrole/alumina (PPy-AlO) composites were prepared and characterized by FT-IR, SEM and X-ray diffraction studies and were employed as adsorbents for the removal of fluoride ions from aqueous solution by the batch sorption method. The amount of fluoride ions adsorbed per unit mass of the adsorbents was observed to be higher than that by the individual constituents. The maximal amount of adsorption is 6.6 mg/g for PANi-AlO and for PPy-AlO it is 8 mg/g. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were used to describe adsorption equilibrium. The kinetics of the adsorption process was investigated using Natarajan-Khalaf equation and intraparticle diffusion model. FT-IR and XRD pattern of the adsorbent, before and after the adsorption is recorded to get better insight into the mechanism of the adsorption process. The results of equilibrium and spectral investigations revealed that the mechanism of fluoride ion removal by these composites involve both the formation of aluminium-fluoro complexes on the alumina surface and doping/dopant-exchange of fluoride ions in the polymer.     

Alumina interaction with AMPS-MPEG random copolymers I. Adsorption and electrokinetic behavior

Adsorption of brush copolymers, bearing sulfonate groups and polyethylene glycol segments, on to alumina particles in suspension in water has been investigated. Study of the adsorption isotherms revealed that the copolymers displayed a strong affinity for the surface of the alumina regardless of the fraction of ionic groups on the polymer. For poly(ethylene glycol) content greater than 50%, the adsorption isotherms revealed an initial adsorption plateau followed by a second one. The shape of the adsorption isotherms was interpreted in terms of the polymer configuration at the solid-to-liquid interface. The effects of the pH and the ionic force on adsorption were studied and connected to the effects of interaction between chain segments at the surface of the alumina particles. Changes in the electrokinetic properties of the alumina particles after addition of the copolymers were investigated by following the zeta potential of particles as a function of pH. In the presence of the copolymer continuous shift of the isoelectric point IEP to a more acidic values was observed. Beyond a certain concentration the zeta potential remained negative regardless of the pH.     

Adsorption of fluoride ions onto carbonaceous materials

The characteristics of fluoride ion adsorption onto carbonaceous materials were derived as adsorption isotherms at different temperatures and in different pH solutions. The fluoride ion was adsorbed into pores in carbonaceous materials produced from wood; the larger the specific surface area, the more fluoride ions adsorbed. Bone char was the most effective adsorbent. The composition of bone char includes calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, and so on. This suggests that the phosphate ion in bone char was exchanged with a fluoride ion. Moreover, the mechanism of fluoride ion adsorption onto bone char is clearly chemical in nature because the amount of fluoride ion adsorbed onto bone char increased with increasing temperature and decreasing pH. The amount of fluoride ion adsorbed onto bone char was also shown to depend on the concentration of sodium chloride in solution because of the "salting-out" effect. The adsorption of fluoride ion onto bone char is endothermic. Bone char can be utilized to remove fluoride ions from drinking water.     

Adsorption of fluoride from aqueous solution by acid treated spent bleaching earth

Acid treated spent bleaching earth was studied to assess its capacity for the adsorption of fluoride from aqueous solutions. Adsorption isotherms have been modeled by Langmuir and Freundlich equations and isotherm constants for both isotherms were calculated. The effect of the adsorbent concentration on the adsorption was studied. The dependence of the adsorption of fluoride on the pH of the solution has been studied to achieve the optimum pH-value and a better understanding of the adsorption mechanism. It has been found that maximum adsorption of fluoride from aqueous solutions takes place at pH-value of 3.5. Second-order equation was used to describe the adsorption rate of fluoride and adsorption rate constant was calculated. Intraparticle and mass transfer coefficients were calculated. The influence of addition of the anions on the adsorption of fluoride was also studied to simulate industrial waste waters and the addition of anions decreased the adsorption of fluoride on the acid treated spent bleaching earth (SBE).     

Am(III) adsorption on oxides of aluminium and silicon: effects of humic substances,pH, and ionic strength

The adsorption of Am(III) (total concentration 10(-9) mol/l) on alumina, silica, and hematite was studied by a batch technique. The effects of pH, ionic strength, and humic substances on the adsorption of Am(III) on alumina and silica were investigated, and the adsorption isotherms of Am(III) on alumina and silica at different pH values were determined. It was found that compared with the adsorption of Am(III) on alumina, the adsorbability of silica on the basis of mass is less, the relative adsorption rate on silica is slower, the sensitivity of adsorption on silica to ionic strength is less, the dependence of adsorption on silica on pH is gentler, and consequently that the adsorption characteristics of Am(III) on alumina and silica are distinctly different. The negative effect of fulvic acid on the adsorption on silica and the positive effect of humic acid on the adsorption on alumina were found. In contrast to the Am(III) adsorption on alumina and silica, a tremendously high adsorbability of Am(III) on hematite was found. The sequence of adsorbabilities of Am(III) on the basis of mass is Fe2O3 > Al2O3 > SiO2.