Removal of heavy metals from an industrial effluent by synthesized zeolite: Case of Bounoura industrial zone

Abstract

The aim of this paperis the synthesis of a Faujasite type zeolite: 9SiO2: Al2O3: 3Na2O: 120H2O and study its ability to remove heavy metals from an industrial effluent.Characterization of the zeolite was carried out by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).The study of the elimination of ten heavy metalson anaqueous effluent, taken from the industrial zone of Bounoua(Algeria),showsthat the synthesized zeolite is able to eliminate nearly 40% of the analyzed heavy metals. the results demonstrate a removal rates of metals in a descreasing order, as following: Cd > Mn > Sn > Fe > Cr > Ni > Pb > Mg > Zn > Cu.Cadmium is the most adsorbed metal with a rate of86.47 % and copper takes the last position with a removal rate of19.27 %.The kinetics and isotherms study of adsorbtion of cadmiumby zeoliteshows that the adsorption is managed by kinetics of the pseudo-second order and the Langmuir isotherm represents better the adsorption of this metal.The study demonstrates that, besides the economy, zeolite facilitates the process of adsorbtion. Moreover, the zeolite is very efficient and reliable material to eliminate the heavy metals and to mitigate the problems of pollution of the environment causedby the industrial activities.