Removal of Phosphate from Water Using Sonochemically Synthesized ZnO Nanoparticles

In this study, we aimed to synthesize ZnO nanomaterial and applied it for phosphate removal in aqueous solutions. ZnO material was prepared by a sonochemical route which is a simple and efficient method for large-scaled production of ZnO in nanosize. The surface characteristics and material structure of ZnO were determined via using electron scanning microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. Batch experiments were conducted for evaluating the adsorption capacity of ZnO material. The effects of solution pH, adsorption time, adsorbent amount, and initial phosphate concentration on the adsorption capacity were investigated to determine the suitable condition for phosphate removal. Results showed a high phosphate removal ability at a wide pH range of 3–7 after 90 min with an adsorbent dosage of 0.6 g/L. The adsorption of phosphate followed Langmuir isotherm with a maximum adsorption capacity of 100 mg/g. The removal of phosphate in wastewater of Lam Thao Fertilizers and Chemicals JSC (Phu Tho Province) was also conducted with a high removal efficiency of 88.75%.