Column Adsorption Studies for the Removal of Ammonium Using Na-Zeolite-Based Geopolymers

Elavarasi Sundhararasu, Hanna Runtti, Teija Kangas, Janne Pesonen, Ulla Lassi and Sari Tuomikoski ()
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Elavarasi Sundhararasu: Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4300, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland
Hanna Runtti: Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4300, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland
Teija Kangas: Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4300, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland
Janne Pesonen: Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4300, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland
Ulla Lassi: Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4300, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland
Sari Tuomikoski: Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4300, FI-90014 Oulu, Finland

Resources, 2022, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-12

Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the removal of ammonium ions from a synthetic model solution by using Na-zeolite-based geopolymers. Na-zeolite (=analcime) is a residue from mining industry. Three adsorbents were prepared from Na-zeolite using different production steps and metakaolin as a blending agent. These novel adsorbents were investigated in a fixed-bed column system where the effects of different flow rates with the initial ammonium concentration of 40 mg/L were studied. The Thomas, Bohart–Adams and Yoon–Nelson breakthrough curve models fitted well with the experimental data with a high R 2 value. After adsorption experiments, adsorbents were regenerated using a mixture of 0.2 M NaCl and 0.1 M NaOH as a regeneration agent; after that, adsorbents were reutilised for ammonium ion adsorption for three adsorption–regeneration cycles. The results of the experiment indicate that all the prepared analcime-based geopolymers are suitable adsorbents for the removal of ammonium ions and that capacity remains nearly constant for two of them during two adsorption–regeneration cycles.

Keywords: geopolymer; fixed-bed column; ammonium ion; breakthrough models; regeneration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jresou:v:11:y:2022:i:12:p:119-:d:1000220

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