Potentially toxic metals removal from aqueous effluents by modified clays: Cd (II) retention

Abstract

Industrial liquid effluents present a sufficiently complex chemical composition, contend organic and inorganic compounds. Heavy metals are very toxic and their discharge into receiving waters causes detrimental effects on human health and the environment. Among the technologies for metal removal, adsorption on natural materials as zeolites and clays seems to be an attractive method because it has the advantage of minimal associated waste generation, besides being an ease method requiring little maintenance procedures. We intend to verify possible applications of the commercial clay montmorillonite Fluka K10, as adsorbent. For this, the clay will be modified with chelant agents, in order to promote its character adsorbent and to allow, thus, the retention of Cd(II) in high amounts. The adsorption capacity and stability of the adsorbent will be evaluated, in order to obtain kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the adsorption process. (AU)