Removal of chromium (vi) in aqueous environments using cork and heat-treated cork samples from quercus cerris and quercus suber

Chromium (VI) removal and its reduction to chromium (III) from aqueous solution by untreated and heat-treated Quercus cerris and heat-treated Quercus suber black agglomerate cork granules was investigated. Initial screening studies revealed that among the sorbents tested, untreated Q. cerris and Q. suber black agglomerate are the most efficient in the removal of Cr(VI) ions and were selected for adsorption essays. Heat treatment adversely affected chromium adsorption and chromium (VI) reduction in Q. cerris cork. The highest metal uptake was found at pH 3.0 for Q. cerris and pH 2.0 for black agglomerate. The experimental data fitted the Langmuir model and the calculated qmax was 22.98 mg/g in black agglomerate and 21.69 mg/g in untreated Q. cerris cork. The FTIR results indicated that while in black agglomerate, lignin is the sole component responsible for Cr(VI) sorption, and in untreated Q. cerris cork, suberin and polysaccharides also play a significant role on the sorption. The SEM-EDX results imply that chromium has a homogenous distribution within both cork granules. Also, phloemic residues in Q. cerris granules showed higher chromium concentration. The results obtained in this study show that untreated Q. cerris and black agglomerate cork granules can be an effective and economical alternative to more costly materials for the treatment of liquid wastes containing chromium

Determinação do coeficiente de distribuição (Kd) de benzo(a)pireno em solo por isotermas de sorção

Leaking of diesel oil from gas stations is frequent in Brazil. The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are highly toxic is an indication of contamination by heavy hydrocarbons from diesel oil. Here were present the determination of the distribution coefficient (Kd) of benzo(a)pyrene (the most carcinogenic of the PAHs) in tropical soils using the sorption isotherm model. The sorption curves acquired for benzo(a)pyrene were of the S-type, probably due to the water/methanol experimental conditions. The sorption curves allowed calculation of the distribution coefficient (Kd). The experimental Kd values were lower than those calculated from literature Koc values (partition coefficient normalized by organic carbon), due mainly to the cosolvency effect and the percentage of organic matter and clay in soil.

Utilização de solos locais para tratamento de efluentes do refino de petróleo contendo metais

The employment of local soils for extraction of metallic elements was evaluated through batch tests to treat wastewaters generated in a petroleum refinery plant in southern Brazil. Clay and organic carbon content and clay mineralogy provide these soils, in principle, with moderate metal retention capacity. The following retention order was established: Cr3+ > Pb2+ > Cu2+ > Hg2+ > Cd2+, with total amount of metals retained varying from 36 to 65 meq kg-1. The results show the high efficiency of local soils for extracting metals from liquid effluents through sorption and precipitation processes under acid pH conditions.

Determinação dos parâmetros de arrhenius da reação de sorção do dióxido de enxofre por calcário

Sulfur emission in coal power generation is a matter of great environmental concern and limestone sorbents are widely used for reducing such emissions. Thermogravimetry was applied to determine the effects of the type of limestone (calcite and dolomite), particle size (530 and 650 µm) and atmosphere (air and nitrogen) on the kinetics of SO2 sorption by limestone. Isothermal experiments were performed for different temperatures (650 to 950 ºC), at local atmospheric pressure. The apparent activation energies, as indicated by the slope of the Arrhenius plot, resulted between 3.03 and 4.45 kJ mol-1 for the calcite, and 11.24 kJ mol-1 for the dolomite.

Remoção de chumbo(II) em sistemas descontínuos por carvões ativados com ácido fosfórico e com vapor

Adsorption of heavy metal cations by activated carbon is dependent on the capacity of the material in promoting adsorption and the time needed to reach equilibrium. Carbon samples were previously activated either by phosphoric acid treatment at 400 ºC or by steam at 800 ºC. The results of Pb(II) adsorption by these activated carbons have shown that equilibrium was typically reached within the first 5 min of contact between carbon and metal solution, with a maximum adsorption capacity higher than 69 mg g-1 for the vapor-activated sample. Temperature influences the sorption capacity, which corresponds to an endothermic process. Lead(II) retention is more pronounced at high temperature and low pH.

Chelating Adsorbents in Purification of Hydrometallurgical Solutions

In this thesis, equilibrium and dynamic sorption properties of weakly basic chelating adsorbents were studied to explain removal of copper, nickel from a concentrated zinc sulfate solution in a hydrometallurgical process. Silica-supported chelating composites containing either branched poly(ethyleneimine) (BPEI) or 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine (AMP) as a functional group were used. The adsorbents are commercially available from Purity Systems Inc, USA as WP-1® and CuWRAM®, respectively. The fundamental interactions between the adsorbents, sulfuric acid and metal sulfates were studied in detail and the results were used to find the best conditions for removal of copper and nickel from an authentic ZnSO4 process solution. In particular, the effect of acid concentration and temperature on the separation efficiency was considered. Both experimental and modeling aspectswere covered in all cases. Metal sorption is considerably affected by the chemical properties of the studied adsorbents and by the separation conditions. In the case of WP-1, acid affinity is so high that column separation of copper, nickel and zinc has to be done using the adsorbent in base-form. On the other hand, the basicity of CuWRAM is significantly lower and protonated adsorbent can be used. Increasing temperature decreases the basicity and the metals affinity of both adsorbents, but the uptake capacities remain practically unchanged. Moreover, increasing temperature substantially enhances intra-particle mass transport and decreases viscosities thus allowing significantly higher feed flow rates in the fixed-bed separation. The copper selectivity of both adsorbents is very high even in the presence of a 250-fold excess of zinc. However, because of the basicity of WP-1, metal precipitation is a serious problem and therefore only CuWRAM is suitable for the practical industrial application. The optimum temperature for copper removal appears to be around 60 oC and an alternative solution purification method is proposed. The Ni/Zn selectivity of both WP-1 and CuWRAM is insufficient for removal of the very small amounts of nickel present in the concentrated ZnSO4 solution.

Arsenic mobilization from sulfidic materials from gold mines in Minas Gerais State

Acid drainage results from exposition of sulfides to the atmosphere. Arsenopyrite is a sulfide that releases arsenic (As) to the environment when oxidized. This work evaluated the As mobility in six sulfidic geomaterials from gold mining areas in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Grained samples (<2 mm) were periodically leached with distilled water, during 70 days. Results suggested As sorption onto (hydr)oxides formed by oxidation of arsenopyrite. Low pH accelerated the acid generation, dissolving Fe oxihydroxides and releasing As. Presence of carbonates decreased oxidation rates and As release. On the other hand, lime added to a partially oxidized sample increased As mobilization.

Espectroscopia Mössbauer na caracterização de compostos ferrosos em solos e sua relação com retenção de fósforo

The chemical role of iron-bearing compounds on the dynamics of phosphorus in selected Brazilian latosols was investigated. The iron oxides were characterized in an attempt to assess their main chemical-mineralogical properties influencing the ion sorption mechanisms in those pedosystems. It was found that increasing total iron contents tend to increase the phosphorus adsorption capacity in the selected soils. 110 K-Mössbauer data reveal that the dominant iron oxides are hematite and goethite. Particularly for the yellower soil samples some prominent doublets, more certainly due to superparamagnetic relaxation, may be assigned to corresponding fractions of relatively small-sized particles.

Remoção de azul de metileno de solução aquosa usando zeólitas sintetizadas com amostras de cinzas de carvão diferentes

Batch sorption experiments were carried out to remove methylene blue from its aqueous solutions using zeolites synthesized from fly ashes as an adsorbent. The adsorbents were characterized by XFR, XRD and SEM. Nearly 90 min of contact time are found to be sufficient for the adsorption of dye to reach equilibrium. Equilibrium data have been analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms and the results were found to be well represented by the Freundlich isotherm equation. Adsorption data were fitted to both Lagergren first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models and the data were found to follow pseudo-second-order kinetics.

Estudo da adsorção de brometo de etídeo em resina XAD-7

The adsorption of ethidium bromide on XAD-7 resin was studied. The Freundlich model was the most representative isotherm model to describe the sorption behavior. A solid-liquid equilibrium model was proposed to explain the resin mass influence on the sorption. The equilibrium constant value estimated was 2.31. The results showed an ethidium bromide ion-pair physical adsorption, with adsorption enthalpy equals to -19.33 kJ/mol. A pK2 value equals to 4.69 ± 0.01 was estimated by two distinct methods. The results will be applied to the ethidium bromide preconcentration aiming its decomposition.

On-line preconcentration system using a microcolumn packed with Alizarin Red S-modified alumina for zinc determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple and sensitive on-line flow injection system for determination of zinc with FAAS has been described. The method is based on the separation and preconcentration of zinc on a microcolumn of immobilized Alizarin Red S on alumina. The adsorbed analyte is then eluted with 250 µL of nitric acid (1 mol L-1) and is transported to flame atomic absorption spectrometer for quantification. The effect of pH, sample and eluent flow rates and presence of various cations and anions on the retention of zinc was investigated. The sorption of zinc was quantitative in the pH range of 5.5-8.5. For a sample volume of 25 mL an enrichment factor of 144 and a detection limit (3S) of 0.2 µg L-1 was obtained. The precision (RSD, n=7) was 3.0% at the 20 µg L-1 level. The developed system was successfully applied to the determination of zinc in water samples, hair, urine and saliva.

Sorção do inseticida tiametoxam em latossolos sob efeito de fosfato e vinhaça

Little information is available on the behavior of thiamethoxam in soils, whereas many studies show the effect of phosphate and vinasse in soils in Brazil. This study evaluated the sorption, desorption and retention of thiamethoxam in vinasse- and phosphate-amended samples of a dystrophic Red-Yellow Latosol (LVAd) and a distroferric Red Latosol (LVdf). The LVAd presented higher sorption of thiamethoxam. Phosphate did not affect the sorption or retention and vinasse increased the interaction of the compound with the soil particles, reducing desorption to the soil solution.

Formulações de atrazina em xerogéis: síntese e caracterização

In this study, controlled release formulations of Atrazine (ATZ) were synthesized by the sol-gel method and characterized by elemental, FTIR, SEM, BET and DSC analyses. The release kinetic of ATZ from the formulations in CaCl2 0.01 mol L-1 medium was monitored by UV/Vis spectroscopy. In all formulations, ATZ was physically dispersed on the Si-polymer, and the dispersion grade decreased with increasing amount of herbicide. The ATZ release kinetics was controlled mainly by dissolution, and the data could be fitted to the Korsmeyer - Pepper model. The ATZ as xerogel presents a lower affinity for soil than as granulated form.

Estudo da sorção do corante catiônico violeta cristal por espuma de poliuretano em meio aquoso contendo dodecilsulfato de sódio

This work presents a detailed study about the sorption of crystal violet (CV) cationic dye onto polyether type polyurethane foam (PUF). The sorption process was based on the formation of an ionic-pair between cationic dye and dodecylsulfate anion (SDS), which presented high affinity by PUF. Set-up employed in the study was built up by adjusting a 200 mg cylinder of PUF to the arm of an overhead stirrer. The system was characterized in relation to equilibrium and kinetic aspects and it was modeled by employing Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Obtained results showed that the ratio between SDS and MB concentrations played an important role on the sorption process. According to results found it was possible to retain up to 3.4 mg of dye from 200 mL of a 5.0 x 10-5 mol L-1 CV solution containing 1.25 x 10-4 mol L-1 SDS, which represented a removal efficiency of around 92%.

Sorção do inseticida tiametoxam nas frações orgânica e mineral de um latossolo amarelo

The sorption of thiamethoxam in a Brazilian Oxisol was determined in soil samples with and without organic matter for two different dephs (0-0.1 and 0.4-0.7 m). The results indicated a predominant sorption of thiamethoxam on soil without organic matter. The following Kd values of 4.25 mL g-1 (0-0.1 m, r² = 0.8534) and 5.30 mL g-1 (0.4-0.7 m, r² = 0.9884) and Kf values, 7.65 mL g-1 (0-0.1 m, r² = 0.9623) and 7.72 mL g-1 (0.4-0.7 m, r² = 0.9775) were obtained. Those sorption coefficient values indicated a small interaction between thiamethoxam for both original soil and soil without organic matter.