Title: Heavy metal removal from industrial wastewater and runoff discharge using modified diatomite as filtration medium

Authors: Laura Nell; Tatiana Dominguez; Faegheh K. Moazeni; Shirley E. Clark

Addresses: Civil Engineering Department, School of Science Engineering and Technology, Penn State Harrisburg, 777 W Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA 17057, USA ' Civil Engineering Department, School of Science Engineering and Technology, Penn State Harrisburg, 777 W Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA 17057, USA ' Civil Engineering Department, School of Science Engineering and Technology, Penn State Harrisburg, 777 W Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA 17057, USA ' Civil Engineering Department, School of Science Engineering and Technology, Penn State Harrisburg, 777 W Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA 17057, USA

Abstract: The adsorption of copper and zinc ions onto the modified diatomite with sodium hydroxide and manganese oxide (Mn-DM) was studied in isotherm batch solutions. The analysis of Cu (II) and Zn (II) results showed the effect of contact time and adsorbent dosage on the adsorption process performed in solutions with individual and combined metal ions, allowing observations of the selectivity and preference of modified diatomite in capturing Cu (II) and Zn (II). The paper also analysed the effect of supplementing peat on the adsorption process, at various ratios to the modified diatomite, to obtain the optimised filter composition with highest adsorption efficiency. The obtained data was used to model the kinetics of the adsorption processes for both metal ions.

Keywords: industrial runoff; adsorption; modified diatomite; heavy metal; peat; natural sorbent; kinetic studies; industrial wastewater; zinc; copper.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2020.110469

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2020 Vol.10 No.4, pp.299 - 316

Received: 07 Nov 2019
Accepted: 22 Jan 2020
Published online: 20 Oct 2020 *

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