Kinetic Modelling of the Removal of Multiple Heavy Metallic Ions from Mine Waste by Natural Zeolite Sorption

Abstract

This study investigates the sorption of heavy metallic ions (HMIs), specifically lead (Pb2+), copper (Cu2+), iron (Fe3+), nickel (Ni2+) and zinc (Zn2+), by natural zeolite (clinoptilolite). These HMIs are combined in single-, dual-, triple-, and multi-component systems. The batch mode experiments consist of a total initial concentration of 10 meq/L normality for all systems, acidified to a pH of 2 by concentrated nitric (HNO3) acid. A zeolite dosage of 4 g per 100 mL of synthetic nitrate salt aqueous solution is applied, for a contact period of 5 to 180 min. Existing kinetic models on HMIs sorption are limited for multi-component system combinations. Therefore, this study conducts kinetic analysis by both reaction and diffusion models, to quantify the sorption process. The study concludes that the process correlates best with the pseudo-second-order (PSO) kinetic model. In the multi-component system combining all five HMIs, the initial sorption rate and theoretical equilibrium capacity are determined as 0.0033 meq/g·min and 0.1159 meq/g, respectively. This provides significant insight into the mechanisms associated with the sorption process, as well as contributing to the assessment of natural zeolite as a sorbent material in its application in industrial wastewater treatment.