Journal of Water and Wastewater; Ab va Fazilab (in persian)

Journal of Water and Wastewater; Ab va Fazilab (in persian)

Synthesis of Gamma Alumina (γ-Al2O3) Filament Granules for Removal of Lead and Chromium from Water in a Fixed Bed Continuous Reactor

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
1 Assoc. Prof., Dept. of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran
2 Former Graduate Student, Dept. of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran
3 Assist. Prof., Dept. of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran
Abstract
One of the most important problems in today's world, which is accompanied by industrial development and population growth, is the pollution of the environment, especially water sources, with toxic and dangerous heavy metals. In this study, the synthesis and application of activated gamma alumina filament granules in the removal of chromium and lead from water in a continuous fixed-bed reactor with an upward flow have been investigated. For the preparation of active gamma alumina, thermal method is used, and furfuran binder as well as phenolic resin and polyvinyl alcohol are used to form it and it is converted into filaments by an extruder. Agilent 240 AA atomic absorption spectrometer was used to measure the concentration metal ions and Thomas model was used to predict the behavior of the column. The results showed that the percentage of removal at the column height of 20 cm is at its maximum (70.7% for chromium and 94% for lead). It was found that by increasing the initial concentration of the pollutant and increasing the flow rate, the failure time decreases. The highest adsorption capacity of activated gamma alumina reactor for chromium is 20.7 mg/g and for lead 1.31 mg/g (column height 20 cm, flow rate 4.5 mL/min, concentration 10 mg/L, and pH equal to 3 for Chromium and pH equal to 7 for lead) were obtained. Formed activated gamma alumina is an effective adsorbent for adsorbing heavy metals, especially chromium and lead, due to its optimal adsorption, ease of preparation, and reasonable price.
Keywords

Akhtar, F., Andersson, L., Ogunwumi, S., Hedin, N. and Bergström, L., 2014. Structuring adsorbents and catalysts by processing of porous powders. Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 34(7), 1643-1666. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2014.01.008.
Aksu, Z., and Gönen, F., 2004. Biosorption of phenol by immobilized activated sludge in a continuous packed bed: prediction of breakthrough curves. Process Biochemistry, 39(5), 599-613. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0032-9592(03)00132-8.
Alemu, A., Lemma, B., Gabbiye, N., Tadele, M. and Teferi, M., 2018. Removal of chromium (VI) from aqueous solution using vesicular basalt: a potential low cost wastewater treatment system. Heliyon, 4(7), e00682. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2018.e00682.
Arulkumar, M., Thirumalai, K., Sathishkumar, P. and Palvannan, T., 2012. Rapid removal of chromium from aqueous solution using shell activated carbon. Chemical Engineering Journal, 185-186, 178-186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2012.01.071.
Atabati, A., Adab, H., Zolfaghari, G. and Nasrabadi, M., 2022. Modeling groundwater nitrate concentrations using spatial and non-spatial regression models in a semi-arid environment. Water Science and Engineering, 15(3), 218-227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wse.2022.05.002.
Bafkar, A. and Baboli, N., 2019. Investigation of nitrate element removal by nanostructure adsorbents in continuous adsorption system. Journal of Environmental Science Studies, 4(2), 1340-1349. (In Persian)
Banshi, M., 2019. Evaluation of the performance of anionic resin and the simultaneous removal of organic and mineral pollutants from water. MSc. Thesis, School of Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. (In Persian)
Bernhardt, A., 2015. The New Top Six Toxic Threats: a Priority List for Remediation, World’s Worst Pollution Problems Report. Pure Earth, Green Cross Pub., Switzerland. http://www.worstpolluted.org/docs/WWPP_2015_Final.pdf.
Dabrowski, A., Hubicki, Z., Podkościelny, P. and Robens, E., 2004. Selective removal of the heavy metal ions from waters and industrial wastewater by ion-exchange method. Chemosphere, 56, 91-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2004.03.006.
Chi, X. P., Yang, S. and Evans, J. R. G., 2010. Extrusion pressure generated in high alumina content paste extrusion. International Conference on Manufacturing Automation, 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICMA.2010.28.
Daghighsaze, 2024. https://daghighsaze.com (accessed May 2024). (In Persian)
Demirbas, E., Kobaya, M., Senturk, E. and Ozkan, T., 2004. Adsorption kinetics for the removal of chromium (VI) from aqueous solutions on the activated carbons prepared from agricultural wastes. Water SA, 30(4), 533-539. https://doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v30i4.5106.
Esmaili Sari, A., Zolfaghari, G., Ghasempouri, S. M., Shayegh, S. S. and Hasani Tabatabei, M., 2007. Effect of age, gender, years of practice, specialty and number of amalgam restorations on mercury concentration in nails of dentists practicing in Tehran. Journal of Iranian Dental Association, 19(1), 97-104. (In Persian)
Ewecharoen, A., Thiravetyan, P., Wendel, E. and Bertagnolli, H., 2009. Nickel adsorption by sodium polyacrylate-grafted activated carbon. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 171, 335-339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2009.06.008.
Ferdowsi, S., Salem, S., Salem, A. and Basardoe, S., 2018. Production of gamma alumina from Iranian kaolin by precipitation in normal and ultrasound conditions. Farayandno, 12(60), 5-16. (In Persian)
Ghaemi, A., Hemmati, A. and Amani, P., 2021. Modeling and simulation of copper biosorption process in a fixed bed column. Iranian Chemical Engineering Journal, 19(112), 22-37. (In Persian)
Ghaneian, M., Ehrampoush, M., Mohebrad, B. and Akhondzadeh, B., 2014. Study of the efficiency of α and γ-alumina on removing fluoride from drinking water. The Journal of Toloo-e-Behdasht, 12(4), 156-166. (In Persian)
Golie, W. M. and Upadhyayula, S., 2016. Continuous fixed-bed column study for the removal of nitrate from water using chitosan/alumina composite. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 12, 58-65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2016.06.007.
Gong, J. L., Zhang, Y. L., Jiang, Y., Zeng, G. M., Cui, Z. H., Liu, K., et al. 2015. Continuous adsorption of Pb (II) and methylene blue by engineered graphite oxide coated sand in fixed-bed column. Applied Surface Science, 330, 148-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.11.068.
Graham, N., 1998. Guidelines for drinking-water quality, 2nd Edition, Addendum to Volume 1-Recommendations. World Health Organization, Geneva, 48 pages.
Hafez, A. I., El-Manharawy, M. S. and Khedr, M. A., 2002. RO membrane removal of unreacted chromium from spent tanning effluent. A pilot-scale study, Part 2. Desalination, 144, 237-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0011-9164(02)00318-1.
Hagh Nazari, N., Abdollahifar, M. and Moradi, R., 2013. Effect of synthesis conditions on the characterization of AlOOH nanoparticles. Ceramic Science Engineering, 2(2), 73-84. (In Persian)
Kazemi, H., Shahhosseini, S. and Bazyari, A., 2020. Polyethylene glycol-assisted synthesis of high specific surface area and pore volume γ-Al2O3 using sol-gel method. Nashrieh Shimi va Mohandesi Shimi Iran, 39(2), 89-97. (In Persian)
Khambhaty, Y., Mody, K., Basha, S. and Jha, B., 2009. Kinetics equilibrium and thermodynamic studies on biosorption of hexavalent chromium by dead fungal biomass of marine Aspergillus niger. Chemica Engineering, 105, 489-495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2008.05.002.
Khodadadi Darban, A., Kianinia, Y. and Taheri-Nassaj, E., 2013. Synthesis of nano- alumina powder from impure kaolin and its application for arsenite removal from aqueous solutions. Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering, 11(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/2052-336X-11-19.
Levankumar, L., Muthukumaran, V. and Gobinath, M., 2009. Batch adsorption and kinetics of chromium(VI) removal from aqueous solutions by Ocimum americanum seed pods. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 161, 709-713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.04.031.
Moazeni, M., Ebrahimi, A., Rafiei, N. and Pourzamani, H. R., 2017. Removal of lead ions from aqueous solution by nano zero-valent iron (nZVI). Journal of Health Scope, 6(2), e40240. https://doi.org/10.5812/jhealthscope.40240.
Mohammadifar, E., Shemirani, F. and Majidi, B., 2015. Application of modified nano-γ-alumina as an efficient adsorbent for removing malachite green (MG) from aqueous solution. Desalination and Water Treatment, 54, 758-768. https://doi.org/10.1080/19443994.2014.890549.
Mor, S., Ravindra, K. and Bishnoi, N. R., 2007. Adsorption of chromium from aqueous solution by activated alumina and activated charcoal. Bioresources Technology, 98(4), 954-957. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2006.03.018.
Nakhaei, M., Mokhtari, H., Vatanpour Serghin, V. and Rezaei, K., 2023. Efficiency of natural zeolite in the removal of heavy metals lead, cadmium, and cobalt using a fixed-bed adsorption column in Varamin aquifer (Iran, Tehran Province). Hydrogeology, 8(1), 93-113. https://doi.org/10.22034/hydro.2023.56673.1289.
Omitola, O. B., Abonyi, M. N., Akpomie, K. G. and Dawodu, F. A., 2022. Adams‑Bohart, Yoon‑Nelson, and Thomas modeling of the fix‑bed continuous column adsorption of amoxicillin onto silver nanoparticle‑maize leaf composite. Applied Water Science, 12, 94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-022-01624-4.
Padmesh, T. V. N., Vijayaraghavan, K., Sekaraz G. and Velan, M., 2005. Batch and column studies on biosorption of acid dyes on fresh water macro alga Azolla filiculoides. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 125, 121-129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2005.05.014.
Samat Sepahan Company, 2024. https://samatmachine.com (accessed May 2024). (In Persian)
Sarioglu, M., 2005. Removal of ammonium from municipal water using natural Turkish (Dogantepe) Solute. Separation and Purification Technology, 41, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2004.03.008.
Sharifan, F., Shahidi, A. and Khashei Siuki, A., 2017. Assessing the efficiency of continuous flow column of pine fruit powder in removal of Chromium (VI) from aqueous solution. Environment and Water Engineering, 3(2), 181-189. (In Persian)
Wang, L. K., Hung, Y. T. and Shammas N. K., 2005. Physicochemical Treatment Processes. Humana Press Inc. Totowa, New Jersey, USA.
World Health Organization, 1996. Chromium in Drinking-Water, Background Document for Development of WHO Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality. 2nd Edition. Vol. 2, Geneva.
Yakout, S., Hassan, M. and Omar, H., 2019. Fixed-bed column study for the removal of hexavalent chromium ions from aqueous solutions via pyrolysis of the rice husk. Desalination and Water Treatment, 170, 128-137. https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2019.24468.
Zolfaghari, G., 2018. Risk assessment of mercury and lead in fish species from Iranian international wetlands. MethodsX, 5, 438-447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2018.05.002.
Zolfaghari, G., 2023. The first ecological contamination study of avian mercury and lead in southeast Iran, Hamun International Wetlands. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30, 96575-96590. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-29219-9.
Zolfaghari, G. and Kargar, M., 2019. Nanofiltration and microfiltration for the removal of chromium, total dissolved solids, and sulfate from water. MethodsX, 6, 549-557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mex.2019.03.012.
Zolfaghari, G., Delsooz, M. and Rajaee, S., 2016. Study of mercury pollution in water, sediments, and fish from Hamoon international wetland. Journal of Water and Wastewater, 27(5), 25-37. (In Persian)
Zolfaghari, G., Esmaili Sari, A., Ghasempouri, S. M., Ghorbani, F., Ahmadifard, N. and Shokri, N., 2006. Relationship beetween age, gender and weight with mercury concentration in different organs of Chalcalburnus chalcalburnus from Anzali wetland. Iranian Journal of Marine Science and Technology, 5(3-4), 23-31. (In Persian)
Zolfaghari, G., Esmaili-Sari, A. and Younesi, H., 2011. Surface modification of ordered nanoporous carbons CMK-3 via a chemical oxidation approach and its application in removal of lead pollution from water. Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology, IPCBEE, Belgrade, Serbia. 6, 174-178.