Prepared of Titanate as Pb (II) Adsorbent from SCR Waste Catalyst by Sub-Molten Salt Method: A Sustainable Strategy for Hazardous Waste Recycling and Heavy Metal Remediation

Ling Zeng, Weiquan Yuan, Mingming Yu (), Heyue Niu, Yusupujiang Mubula, Kun Xu and Zhehan Zhu
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Ling Zeng: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
Weiquan Yuan: School of Resources and Architectural Engineering, Gannan University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
Mingming Yu: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
Heyue Niu: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
Yusupujiang Mubula: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
Kun Xu: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China
Zhehan Zhu: School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 11, 1-17

Abstract: To address the disposal challenges of waste SCR catalysts and the urgent need for sustainable solutions in heavy metal pollution control, this study proposes a green resource utilization strategy based on the sub-molten salt method to convert waste SCR catalysts into highly efficient lead ion adsorbents. Titanate-based adsorbent materials with a loose porous structure were successfully prepared by optimizing the process parameters (reaction temperature of 160 °C, NaOH concentration of 70%, and reaction time of 2 h). The experiments showed that the adsorption efficiency was as high as 99.65% and the maximum adsorption capacity was 76.08 mg/g under ambient conditions (adsorbent dosage of 1.2 g/L, initial Pb(II) concentration of 100 mg/L, contact time of 60 min, and pH = 4). Kinetic analysis showed that the quasi-second-order kinetic model (R 2 = 0.9985) could better describe the adsorption process, indicating chemisorption as the dominant mechanism. Characterization analysis confirmed that subsequent to the adsorption process, Pb 3 (CO 3 ) 2 (OH) 2 formed on the surface of the adsorbent material is the adsorption product of Pb(II) and C-O through ion exchange and surface complexation. This study transforms waste SCR catalysts into sustainable titanate adsorbents through a low-energy green process, providing an eco-efficient solution for heavy metal wastewater treatment while aligning with circular economy principles and sustainable industrial practices.

Keywords: alkaline leaching; waste SCR catalyst; Pb(II) adsorption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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