Natural Clay Minerals as Potential Arsenic Sorbents from Contaminated Groundwater: Equilibrium and Kinetic Studies

Ambrin Rehman, Shah Rukh (), Samha Al Ayoubi, Seema Anjum Khattak, Ayaz Mehmood, Liaqat Ali, Ahmad Khan, Kouser Majeed Malik, Abdul Qayyum and Hikmat Salam
Additional contact information
Ambrin Rehman: National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25130, Pakistan
Shah Rukh: National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25130, Pakistan
Samha Al Ayoubi: College of Humanities and Sciences, Prince Sultan University, Rafha Street, Riyadh 11586, Saudi Arabia
Seema Anjum Khattak: National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25130, Pakistan
Ayaz Mehmood: Department of Soil and Climate Sciences, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22620, Pakistan
Liaqat Ali: National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25130, Pakistan
Ahmad Khan: Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi 46300, Pakistan
Kouser Majeed Malik: Soil and Water Testing Laboratory for Research, Rawalpindi 46300, Pakistan
Abdul Qayyum: Department of Agronomy, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22620, Pakistan
Hikmat Salam: National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar 25130, Pakistan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-20

Abstract: Arsenic (As) contaminated groundwater is a worldwide concern due to its chronic effects on human health. The objectives of the study were to evaluate natural inexpensive raw laterite (RL) and kaolinite (RK) for their potential use as As sorbents and to understand the As sorption on laterite and kaolinite by employing sorption and kinetic models. Raw laterite and RK were tested for EC, pH, XRF and CEC as basic parameters. Batch sorption and kinetic experiments data were fitted in the sorption (Langmuir and Freundlich) model and kinetic (pseudo-first and pseudo-second order) reaction equations, respectively. Morphological and structural changes were observed in RL and RK samples before and after As saturation by employing FTIR and SEM. The major constituent in RL was Fe and Al oxides while in RK major oxides were silica and Al. The Freundlich sorption model well explained the experimental data, indicating a greater sorption capacity of RL on a hetero-layered surface compared to RK. The kinetic reaction equations showed that equilibrium was achieved after a contact time of 240 min and the adsorption was chemisorption in nature. The RL and RK were found to be effective sorbents for As removal, however, RL showed maximum As adsorption and thus superior in comparison with RK. Structural and morphological characterization reveals the role of Fe and Al oxides in the case of RL, and Al oxides in the case of RK, in the adsorption of As. Hence this study concludes that these naturally occurring inexpensive resources can be used as sorbent agents for As-contaminated drinking water treatment.

Keywords: sorption kinetics; isotherms studies; natural sorbents; arsenic contamination (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/16292/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/16292/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:23:p:16292-:d:994267

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().