Cow bones char as a green sorbent for fluorides removal from aqueous solutions: batch and fixed-bed studies

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2017

Authors

Elbert M. Nigri (Author) FEUP; Maria Alice. P. Cechinel (Author) Other; Diego A. Mayer (Author) Other; Luciana P. Mazur (Author) FEUP; José M. Loureiro (Author) FEUP; Sônia D. F. Rocha (Author) Other; Vítor J. P. Vilar (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Environmental Science and Pollution Research

Vol. 24 No. 3

Pages: 2364-2380

ISSN: 0944-1344

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 8 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 20 Citations

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Technological sciences > Technology > Environmental technology

FOS: Engineering and technology > Environmental engineering

Associated Projects

LSRE-LCM - Laboratório de Processos de Separação e Reação - Laboratório de Catálise e Materiais

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00M-6FS

DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7816-5

Abstract (EN): Cow bone char was investigated as sorbent for the defluoridation of aqueous solutions. The cow bone char was characterized in terms of its morphology, chemical composition, and functional groups present on the bone char surface using different analytical techniques: SEM, EDS, N-2-BET method, and FTIR. Batch equilibrium studies were performed for the bone chars prepared using different procedures. The highest sorption capacities for fluoride were obtained for the acid washed (q = 6.2 +/- 0.5 mg/g) and Al-doped (q = 6.4 +/- 0.3 mg/g) bone chars. Langmuir and Freundlich models fitted well the equilibrium sorption data. Fluoride removal rate in batch system is fast in the first 5 h, decreasing after this time until achieving equilibrium due to pore diffusion. The presence of carbonate and bicarbonate ions in the aqueous solution contributes to a decrease of the fluoride sorption capacity of the bone char by 79 and 31 %, respectively. Regeneration of the F-loaded bone char using 0.5 M NaOH solution leads to a sorption capacity for fluoride of 3.1 mg/g in the second loading cycle. Fluoride breakthrough curve obtained in a fixed-bed column presents an asymmetrical S-shaped form, with a slow approach of C/C-0 -> 1.0 due to pore diffusion phenomena. Considering the guideline value for drinking water of 1.5 mg F-/L, as recommended by World Health Organization, the service cycle for fluoride removal was of 71.0 h ([F-](feed) similar to 9 mg/L; flow rate = 1 mL/min; m(sorbent) = 12.6 g). A mass transfer model considering the pore diffusion was able to satisfactorily describe the experimental data obtained in batch and continuous systems.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 17