Removal of heavy metals and neutralisation of acid mine drainage with un-activated attapulgite

Thabo Falayi; Freeman Ntuli

Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Vol.20, No.4, 1285-1292, July, 2014

DOI10.1016/j.jiec.2013.07.007 Export Citation

Removal of heavy metals and neutralisation of acid mine drainage with un-activated attapulgite

Thabo Falayi, and Freeman Ntuli^†

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein 2028, Johannesburg, South Africa

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Unactivated attapulgite was characterised and utilised as an adsorbent for the removal of heavy metal and neutralisation of acid mine drainage (AMD) from a gold mine. Adsorption experiments were carried out by agitation of a fixed amount of attapulgite with a fixed volume of AMD in a thermostatic shaker for varying times. Attapulgite showed that it can neutralise acid mine drainage as the pH after 4 h was 7.11. The results showed that metal ion removal after 4 h was 100% for Cu(II) and Fe(II), 93% for Co(II), 95% for Ni(II) and 66% for Mn(II) using a 10% (w/v) attapulgite loading. The experimental data best fit the Langmuir Isotherm with maximum adsorption capacities for Cu(II), Co(II), Mn(II), Fe(II) and Ni(II) being 0.0053, 0.0044, 0.0019, 0.01, and 0.0053 mg/g, respectively. The adsorption process fitted well the pseudo first order kinetics for Co(II) and Cu(II) and pseudo second order for Ni(II), Mn(II) and Fe(II). Thermodynamic data show that Cu(II), Co(II), Fe(II) and Ni(II) adsorption was thermodynamically spontaneous whilst Mn(II) was not thermodynamically spontaneous. The process is endothermic for Cu(II), Co(II), Mn(II), and Ni(II) and exothermic for Fe(II). Spent attapulgite (attapulgite that has already been used to remove metals) could be reused twice without regeneration.

Keywords:Acid mine drainage;Attapulgite;Adsorption;Adsorption isotherms

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[1] McCarthy TS, South African J. Sci., 107(5/6), 1 (2010)

[2] Werdmuller VW, in: Antrobus ESA (Ed.), The Central Rand, Witwatersrand Gold.100 Years, Geological Society of South Africa, Johannesburg, 1986, p. 748.

[3] Expert Team of the Inter-Ministerial Committee, Mine water management in the Witwatersrand Gold Fields with special emphasis on acid mine drainage. Report to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Acid Mine Drainage, Department of Water Affairs, Pretoria, 2010.

[4] Tutu H, McCarthy TS, Cukrowska E, Appl. Geochem., 123, 3666 (2008)

[5] Coetzee H, Croukamp L, Venter J, De Wet L, Council for Geoscience, Pretoria, Report No. 2005-0148, 2005, p. 28.

[6] Hobbs P, Cobbing J, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria Report no. CSIR/NRE/WR/ER/2007/0097/C, 2007.

[7] Potgieter JH, Potgieter-Vermaak SS, Kalibantonga PD, Miner. Eng., 19(5), 463 (2006)

[8] Chen H, Wang AQ, J. Colloid Interface Sci., 307(2), 309 (2007)

[9] Ucun H, Bayhan YK, Kaya Y, Cakici A, Algur OF, Desalination, 154(3), 233 (2003)

[10] Uzun I, Guzel F, Turk. J. Chem., 24(3), 291 (2000)

[11] James EH, Inorganic Chemistry Principles, Harper International Edition, Harper & Row, New York, 1978, pp. 235.237.

[12] John AD, Lange’s Handbook of Chemistry, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1973, pp. 440.442.

[13] Yavuz O, Altunkaynak Y, Guzel F, Water Res., 37, 948 (2003)

[14] Juang RS, Wu FC, Tseng RL, Environ. Technol., 118, 535 (1997)

[15] Tryball RE, Mass Transfers Operations, 3rd ed., McGraw, New York, 1980.

[16] Unlu N, Ersoz M, J. Hazard. Mater. B, 136(2), 272 (2006)

[17] Bhattacharyya KG, Gupta SS, Appl. Clay Sci., 41, 1 (2008)

[18] Okoye IP, Obi C, Int. Arch. Appl. Sci. Technol., 3, 58 (2012)

[19] Vieira MGA, Neto AFA, Gimenes ML, da Silva MGC, J. Hazard. Mater., 177(1-3), 362 (2010)

[20] Balintova M, Holub M, Singovszka E, Chem. Eng. Trans., 28, 1 (2012)

[21] Boonchom B, Youngme S, Maensiri S, Danvirutai C, J. Alloy. Compd., 454, 78 (2008)

[22] Liu XD, Hagihala M, Zheng XG, Meng DD, Guo DX, Chin. Phys. Lett, 28, 1 (2011)

[23] Paavo L, Jouni T, Acta Chem. Scan., 27, 2287 (1973)