Efficiency of heat-treated sepiolite in the adsorption of Cd, Zn, and Co from aqueous solutions: A low-cost approach for wastewater treatment

Ramin SamieiFard; Ahmad  Landi; Saeid  Hojati; Nahid  Pourreza

doi:10.59400/jts.v2i2.1562

Ramin SamieiFard Department of Ecosystem Science & Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Soil science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz 6135783151, Iran
Ahmad Landi Department of Soil science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz 6135783151, Iran
Saeid Hojati Department of Soil science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz 6135783151, Iran
Nahid Pourreza Department of Chemistry, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz 6135783151, Iran

Ariticle ID: 1562

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.59400/jts.v2i2.1562

Keywords: sepiolite; kinetic models; heavy metals; adsoption

Abstract

This study investigated the adsorption of Cd, Co, and Zn ions onto unmodified and heat-treated sepiolite, focusing on the effect of contact time, initial pH, and heat pretreatments. Kinetic experiments were conducted in triplicate, and equilibrium experiments indicated that Co²⁺ had the highest adsorption preference, followed by Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺. The adsorption efficiency for Co²⁺ significantly increased with higher initial pH, whereas Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺showed optimal adsorption at lower pH levels. Heat-treated sepiolite at 250 ℃ exhibited a higher surface area and adsorption capacity in comparison with unmodified and 150 ℃-treated sepiolite, which indicated the importance of heat pretreatment. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model better described the adsorption process, and it was confirmed chemisorption as the rate-limiting step. By increasing the contact time, adsorption rates enhanced, with equilibrium achieved within 480 min for all systems. Higher initial solute concentrations led to an increase in adsorption processes, with Co ions consistently showing higher adsorption efficiency in competitive multi-ionic solutions. Adsorption percentages varied with pH and thermal treatment, indicating the importance of these parameters in optimizing sepiolite’s adsorption capacity for heavy metal removal.

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