Selection of suitable adsorbent for refining of waste water

The presence of heavy metals in waste water and surface water is major concern of the public health and the environment. The increased uses of metals and chemicals in the industries process have resulted in pollution of river water. Antimony (Sb) is one of the toxic metals even so; it has been extensively used in lead alloys, battery grids, bearing metal, cable sheathing, plumbers solder, pewter, ammunition, sheet and pipe. In this study, the removal of Sb(III) from waste water is achieved in batch system by using grey and red color Erzurum clay as an adsorbent which are cheap and natural adsorbents. Adsorption experiments were studied the effects of main parameters such as adsorbent amount, particular size, stirring speed, temperature of solution and pH on the removal of Sb(III) from aqua media by adsoption were studied in adsorption experiments. Decreasing amount of Sb(III) ions in the solutions by adsorption was determined with Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (DPASV) method. The experimental studies showed that the optimum conditions for the removal of Sb(III) from aqua media were 0.5 g adsorbent, 500 mesh particular size, 500 rpm stirring speed, 25 °C solution temperature, pH 1.5 and 45 min mixing time. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms for the adsorption process were drawn. The adsorption was demonstrated similarity with Langmuir model. The enthalpy (H) at different two temperatures was calculated as -21.138 kjmol-1. Therefore, the adsorption of the antimony onto clay surface was physical. Also, surface of the adsorbent was characterized by using FTIR spectroscopy. Key words: Adsorption, Antimony, Erzurum Clay, Waste water, Voltammetry.