Title: Adsorption of ammonia nitrogen in aqueous solution by the acid activated water treatment sludge

Authors: Shuiying Xiong; Muqing Qiu; Gusheng Wang

Addresses: Department of Life Science, Shaoxing University Yuanpei College, Shaoxing 312000, China ' College of Life Science, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing 312000, China ' Department of Life Science, Shaoxing University Yuanpei College, Shaoxing 312000, China

Abstract: The ammonia nitrogen in aqueous solution can contribute to the eutrophication of water bodies, depletion of dissolved oxygen and toxicity to fish and other aquatic organisms. The removal of ammonia nitrogen in aqueous solution was carried out with many kinds of methods. In this research, the potential and effectiveness of the water treatment sludge was studied as the alternative adsorbents for the removal of ammonia nitrogen in aqueous solution. The water treatment sludge was activated by acid solution. Then, the effects of temperature, contact time and initial ammonia nitrogen concentration on ammonia nitrogen adsorption by the acid activated water treatment sludge were investigated. The results showed that the acid activated water treatment sludge contains porous structures and high surface area. The equilibrium data fitted with the Langmuir isotherm. The adsorption data fitted the pseudo-second-order model much better with R2 greater than the pseudo-first-order model. The values of ΔH° and ΔS° were -34.28 kJ/mol and -113.09 J/mol, respectively. The value ΔG° of was 0.41 kJ/mol at 308 K.

Keywords: ammonia nitrogen; NH3-N removal; acid; water treatment sludge; aqueous solutions; activated sludge; adsorption isotherms; adsorption kinetics; eutrophication; dissolved oxygen; toxicity; kinetic modelling.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2016.082252

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2016 Vol.19 No.3/4, pp.268 - 277

Accepted: 25 Oct 2016
Published online: 13 Feb 2017 *

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