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Adsorptive separation of phosphate oxyanion from aqueous solution using an inorganic adsorbent

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Abstract

Phosphate removal from aqueous solution was explored using granular ferric hydroxide (GFH) as an inorganic adsorbent. Adsorption, desorption and kinetic studies were conducted on laboratory scale to evaluate the performance of GFH as an adsorbent for low concentrations of phosphate solution. The effect of pH on adsorption was investigated, and phosphate uptake was shown to decrease with an increase in solution pH, with maximum removal seen to occur at pH 3. The experimental data best fit the Temkin isotherm at both pH 3 and 4. Uptake of phosphate by GFH follows second-order kinetics, with the small particle range (76–200 μm) removing phosphate from the solution more rapidly than the larger particle range (710–850 μm). The kinetic results suggest that intra-particle diffusion is an important factor in phosphate adsorption onto GFH. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH°, ΔS°) were evaluated, and the results indicated that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous. This study demonstrates that GFH has potential to be used as a cost-effective adsorbent for phosphate removal from aqueous solution.

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Abbreviations

a :

Stoichiometric coefficient

A :

Temkin constant

b :

Stoichiometric coefficient

B :

Temkin constant

c :

Stoichiometric coefficient

C :

Equilibrium concentration

C e :

Equilibrium concentration (μmol/L)

\( \bar{D} \) :

Particle phase diffusivity

F(t):

Fractional attainment at equilibrium

F(t)calc:

Calculated fractional attainment

H+ :

Protonated low-pH solution

k 1 :

Lagergran constant for first-order adsorption (L/min)

k 2 :

Rate constant of second-order adsorption (g/μmol/min)

K a :

Langmuir constant

K F :

Freundlich constant

M:

Granular ferric hydroxide

n :

Freundlich constant

OH:

Reactive surface hydroxyl

q :

Amount adsorbed at equilibrium

q e :

Phosphorus adsorbed per mass of adsorbent (μmol/g)

q m :

Langmuir constant

\( \bar{Q}_{\rm A}^{0} \) :

Initial concentration of phosphorus (μmol/L)

\( \bar{Q}_{\rm A}^{\infty } \) :

Equilibrium concentration of phosphorus (μmol/L)

\( \bar{Q}_{\rm A} (t) \) :

Concentration of phosphorus at time t (μmol/L)

R :

Universal gas constant

S:

Metal atom in hydroxylated mineral

t :

Time (min)

T :

Temperature (K)

ΔH°:

Standard free enthalpy

ΔG°:

Standard free energy

ΔS°:

Standard free entropy

ε :

Polanyi potential = RT ln[1 + (1/C e)]

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK

    B. Saha, L. Griffin & H. Blunden

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  1. B. Saha
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  2. L. Griffin
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  3. H. Blunden
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Correspondence to B. Saha.

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Saha, B., Griffin, L. & Blunden, H. Adsorptive separation of phosphate oxyanion from aqueous solution using an inorganic adsorbent. Environ Geochem Health 32, 341–347 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-010-9305-y

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