Detoxification of Arsenic-Containing Wastewater Using Bauxite and Clay

Nelson Akuoko Sarpong, P. J. Nutsutse, G. Ofori-Sarpong, R. K. Amankwah

Abstract


Arsenic is a very toxic substance, and one of the priority pollutants in waste discharges. Mining companies that treat ores containing arsenic-bearing minerals end up releasing arsenic into their tailings impoundment. Arsenic can cause harm should it find its way into soils, streams, and groundwater. In this study, adsorbents at ratios of 80%, 60% and 50% bauxite to clay were used to remove arsenic from solution at initial arsenic concentrations of 20 ppm, 10 ppm, and 5 ppm. The effect of adsorbent dosage and initial arsenic concentration on arsenic removal efficiency were studied. The results indicated higher removal of arsenic from the 20-ppm solution for all the bauxite/clay mixtures, as compared to the lower arsenic concentration solutions. Whereas arsenic removal from the 20-ppm solution was favoured by 80% bauxite in the bauxite/clay mixture, the 5-ppm arsenic concentration was sorbed more by the bauxite/clay mixture when the clay content was increased to 50%. The higher amounts of As sorbed with increasing percentage of bauxite can be attributed to the presence of gibbsite and goethite. The adsorption kinetics models were studied, and the results suggest that the reaction was chemisorption as the pseudo-second-order appeared to fit the data more than the pseudo-first-order. Though the general trends obtained appears inconclusive, the results from this work establishes the feasibility of incorporating bauxite and clay into the design of a tailings impoundment facility for arsenic removal.

Keywords


Arsenic; Bauxite; Clay; Adsorption; Kinetics

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References


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