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Article history: The development of the process of sodium activation of zeolite has been an effective technique for
Received 2 February 2013 enhancing the efciency of ammonium removal. In this research, the optimum conditions for the
Received in revised form 2 May 2013 activation of Chinese (Hulaodu) zeolite of the most effective parameters such as sodium concentration,
Accepted 6 May 2013
stirring time, and temperature were determined. The most efcient conditions were selected according
Available online 12 June 2013
to the highest ammonium removal capacity. The characteristics of activated zeolite (ActZ) and its
mechanism of ammonium removal were investigated and compared with that of natural zeolite (NZ).
Keywords:
Additionally, both zeolites were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Zeta potential, X-ray
Zeolite (clinoptilolite)
Adsorption
diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetry (TG) and BET surface analysis. The activated zeolite revealed the
Activated zeolite highest ammonium removal efciency reaching up to 98% based on stirring time, zeolite loading, initial
Ammonium removal ammonium concentration, temperature and pH. The adsorption kinetic was explored and tted best
Kinetics and isotherm with the pseudo-second-order model, whereas adsorption isotherm results illustrated that Langmuir
model (LM) provided the best t for the equilibrium data. Moreover, thermodynamic parameters such as
change in free energy (DG8), enthalpy (DH8) and entropy (DS8) were also calculated. The parameters
revealed that the exchange of ammonium ion by activated zeolite occurred spontaneously at ambient
conditions (25 8C). It was concluded that when Chinese (Hulaodu) zeolite is activated under the
condition of 1 M NaCl, 70 8C and stirring time of 30 min, an excellent removal of NH4+ was obtained.
2013 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
1876-1070/$ see front matter 2013 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtice.2013.05.008
A. Alshameri et al. / Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 45 (2014) 554564 555
adsorption method, with a heating rate of 10 8C/min. N2 and temperature, had to be investigated to obtain optimum
adsorptiondesorption experiments were performed at 77 K with activation conditions, and the results are shown in Fig. 1ac. As can
an Automatic Volumetric Sorption Analyzer (ASAP2020, TSI, be seen from batch adsorption experiments (Fig. 1ac), the
America), employing multipoint BET isotherm adsorption data temperature of 70 8C, stirring time of 30 min and 1 mol/L
tting. Zeta potential measurements for the natural and activated concentration of NaCl were the most effective in adsorption of
zeolites, as a function of medium pH, were determined using Zeta NH4+ ions on Hulaodu natural zeolite (NZ). The optimum
Plusk equipment (zetasizer Nano ZS 90, Malvern, UK). A 103 mol/L conditions obtained above for the activation of zeolite using NaCl
solution of KNO3 and 60 mg/L of ammonium concentration were were applied on NaOH for the adsorption of NH4+ ions at 100 mg/L
used. The medium pH was controlled by adding HCl (pH < 7) and of ammonium concentration, pH 7 and 25 8C. Its NH4+ adsorption
NaOH (pH > 7) solutions, separately. The water content and zeolite capacity (mg/g) was compared with NaCl activation as shown in
decomposed were determined by a Thermogravimetric (TG) Table 1. The results showed that NaCl-activated zeolite (ActZ) had
analyzer. TG/DSC analysis was performed on a NEZSCH, STA409- a higher NH4+ adsorption capacity value than NaOH-activated
PC-Germany, and thermal analysis system was in the range 30 zeolite. This result was conrmed by EDS analysis (Fig. 2a and b)
1200 8C. In addition, the composition of zeolite was analyzed by which showed that the Na+ content of the NaOH-activated zeolite
chemical method. Absorbance values of ammonium ion concen- (1.33%) was lower than that of NaCl-activated zeolite (2.10%).
tration in solution were read using a Chinese-Shimadzu UV-723Vis Higher NH4+ adsorption capacity means higher Na+ content
spectrophotometer. Quality control testing includes experiments [3234]. From the above discussion, it can be concluded that ion
with blanks and duplicates. exchange promoted by NaCl-activated zeolite (ActZ) is a more
attractive zeolite preparation method than that of NaOH-activated
2.4. Adsorption rate, batch sorption studies zeolite. Therefore, NaCl-activated zeolite (ActZ) was selected for
further study.
All adsorptions in batch experiments were carried out using
stopper conical asks (500 ml), zeolite/liquid ratio of 1 g/100 ml, 3.2. Natural and activated zeolite characteristics
magnetic stirring water bath, a stirring rate of 120 rpm and a
temperature at 25 8C. A stock solution (1000 mg/L) was prepared SEM and the qualitative composition analysis of EDS obtained
by dissolving NH4Cl in distilled water. from the grain of natural and activated zeolites are shown in Fig. 2.
For determining the optimum time required for ammonium Fig. 2c illustrates that the main chemical elements (Al, Si, O, Na, Mg,
removal by natural zeolite (NZ) and activated zeolite (ActZ) from K, Ca and Fe) are present in the structure of this natural zeolite, in
aqueous solution, a weighed quantity of adsorbent (1 g) was added agreement with the chemical composition (Table 2). Quantitative
into solution of 80 mg/L ammonium concentration and was stirred tests were also performed on both zeolites. The results from
for 10420 min and 560 min of NZ and ActZ, respectively, at a xed elemental analysis by EDS of NZ and ActZ as shown in Fig. 2a and c
pH of 7. The effect of initial ammonium concentration in batch indicate that the Na+ content in NZ increased from 0.21% to 2.10%
adsorption experiments was carried out by using initial ammonium after activation. Meanwhile, the content of Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+
concentration in the range of 10240 mg/L and 10400 mg/L for decreased from 3.44%, 0.81% and 1.53% to 1.08%, 0.58% and 0.76%,
300 min and 40 min for NZ and ActZ, respectively. The effect of pH on respectively. For this reason, the ammonium capacity of combined
adsorption was investigated at initial ammonium concentration of activated zeolite increased sharply in microscale [33,34].
80 mg/L and performed in different pH values (210) at 25 8C. Batch The XRD patterns of NZ and ActZ are shown in Fig. 3a. X-ray
adsorption was conducted at 300 and 40 min for NZ and ActZ, diffraction did not show any changes in zeolite structure after
respectively. The pH of the solution was adjusted by 1 M HCl or activation. Mineralogical analysis of the zeolite samples was
NaOH solution. For determining zeolites loading effect, zeolite carried out using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The results showed that
loading was varied from 0.2 to 2.2 g/100 ml at initial ammonium the natural zeolite contained clinoptilolite in the majority 93%, and
concentration of 80 mg/L. The zeoliteliquid was then stirred for 300 small quantity of quartz 7%.
and 40 min for NZ and ActZ, respectively, at temperature 25 8C. Chemical components of natural zeolite are shown in Table 2.
Temperature of adsorption isotherms was studied at 25, 35 and The Si/Al ratio calculated from these data was found to be 4.8. The
45 8C. A 100 ml of ammonium chloride solution of 80 mg/L ratio of Si/Al is an important factor in understanding the zeolite
concentration was equilibrated with 1 g zeolite for 40 min for structure. When the ratio is over than 4.0, then the zeolite is a
ActZ. Samples were ltered through a 0.45 mm lter membrane clinoptilolite-type and as such, the structure would not be broken
after adsorption. easily at high temperature.
The residual concentration of ammonium was determined by This result was conrmed by thermogravimetric (TG) analysis
Nesslers reagent spectrophotometry method at 420 nm. as shown in Fig. 3b. It shows that the zeolite could stand
The removal efciency (%) of zeolite and the amount of temperatures of up to 869.2 8C without being decomposed and that
adsorbed ammonium ions (qe) were calculated, respectively, using it only undergoes a weight reduction of 0.07% at this temperature.
the following equations: It also, shows that the water content of zeolite was lost at 71.2 8C.
The surface analysis of activated zeolite was investigated by
C0 Ce Zeta potential and BET standard method and compared with that of
Removal efficiency % 100 (1)
C0 natural zeolite. Fig. 3c shows that zeolite surface groups are mainly
negative in the studied pH range and that the ammonium removal
C0 Ce
qe (2) does not interfere much with the Zeta potential measurements,
M
conrming the theory that the mechanism is not electrostatic
(charge neutralization) but a result of an ion-exchange reaction.
3. Results and discussion Moreover, the gure shows that activated zeolite is more negative
than natural zeolite.
3.1. Activated zeolite The BET specic surface area, total pore volume, and average
width pore size of the natural zeolite were measured to be
Due to different results in activation of different zeolite 25.88 m2/g, 0.0032 cm3/g and 8.72264 mm, respectively. How-
samples, parameters, such as sodium concentration, stirring time ever, these values did not change signicantly after activation of
A. Alshameri et al. / Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 45 (2014) 554564 557
Fig. 1. Removal capacity as a function of sodium concentrations (a), stirring time (b)
and temperature (c). Fig. 2. SEM and EDS spectra analyses zeolite grain of NaCl-activated zeolite (ActZ)
(a), NaOH-activated zeolite (b) and natural zeolite (NZ) (c).
zeolite, 26.7074 m2/g of specic surface area, 0.004167 cm3/g of their afnities to zeolite. The size of micropores of the natural
total pore volume and 9.64864 mm of average width pore size. zeolite is in the range of 310 A and micropores of the NaCl-
These characteristics of activated zeolite have disadvantages for modied zeolite were more developed at the range of 5 A than
physical adsorption, but the results from equilibrium experi- other cases. This implies that the NaClzeolite could selectively
ments do not match with this fact because the removal remove NH4+ ions which have a specic size. Also, owing to its
mechanism of ammonium by zeolites follows the ion-exchange small surface area, this zeolite is very stable against heat and
reaction. Therefore, ion-exchange capacities of ammonium acidity as reported by Tehrani and Salari [29] and Gottardi and
depend on dielectric strength between ammonium as well as Galli [35] who found that heat and acid activation does not result
558 A. Alshameri et al. / Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 45 (2014) 554564
Table 1
Comparison of NaCl and NaOH in zeolite activation at 100 mg/L of ammonium
concentration, pH 7, 25 8C and stirring time of 24 h.
Table 2
Chemical composition of the natural zeolite (wt.%).
NZ SiO2 Al2O3 TFe2O3 TiO2 MgO Na2O CaO K2O P2O5 MnO H2O L.O.I.
66.34 12.23 0.99 0.16 0.98 0.73 3.17 1.37 0.027 0.026 5.06 13.88
A. Alshameri et al. / Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 45 (2014) 554564 559
Fig. 4. Effect of stirring time on NH4+ removal capacity of natural zeolite (a) and activated zeolite (b) (initial NH4+ concentration: 80 mg/L, 25 8C and pH 7).
from 2 to 7 and then it decreased gradually from pH 8 to 10 with 3.6. Effect of adsorbent dosage
the maximum value being achieved at pH 7. An almost similar
trend has been reported for ammonium adsorption onto zeolite by As illustrated in Fig. 7, the removal efciency of NH4+ ions by
different researchers [21,30]. The behavior of ammonium as a both zeolites increases with increasing amount of both zeolites.
function of waters pH can be explained by considering the change This effect can be attributed to an increased surface area and
in density of hydrogen ions, the dominant ionic species of number of adsorption sites [41]. As can be seen in Fig. 7, the
ammonium and the surface charge of zeolite as a function of ammonium removal rate of ActZ increases more rapidly than that
waters pH. The pHzpc of natural zeolite and activated zeolite were of NZ and attains a plateau at 98.73% when the adsorbent dosage
7.7 and 7.8, respectively, implying that the zeolite particles surface was 1 g indicating that the NH4+ ions removal was negligible at
is uncharged at water pH of 7.7 and 7.8 of natural and activated higher adsorbent dosage. The natural zeolite attains a plateau at
zeolites; the zeolites particles surface has a positive charge at 94.5% when the dosage was 1.8 g as shown in Fig. 7. Thus, both of
water pH below 7.7 and 7.8, and it is negatively charged at water them reached a balance of approximately 98% when the adsorbent
pH above 7.7 and 7.8. This indicates that the surface of zeolite is dosage for ActZ and NZ was 1 g and 1.8 g, respectively. This may be
negatively charged at pH of above 7 [39]. For ammonium attributed to a large adsorbent amount which effectively reduces
adsorption, according to the relation of ammonium dissociation the unsaturation of the adsorption sites and correspondingly, the
in water as a function of pH, NH4+ ions is the dominant species of number of such sites per unit mass comes down resulting in
ammonia nitrogen in water at pH of below 7 while the molecular comparatively less adsorption at higher adsorbent amount [37,41].
form, ammonia (NH3) is dominant at alkaline pH. By considering Hence, when the ammonium is exchanged completely with cations
the above facts, the increase in adsorption of ammonium with the on the zeolite surface at a certain amount of zeolite loading, the
increase in waters pH up to the maximum point (pH 7) can be NH4+ removal reached equilibrium.
attributed to a decrease of hydrogen ions in solution corresponding
to an increase in pH, and thus a reduction of the competition 3.7. Kinetics of ammonium exchange
between hydrogen ions and NH4+ ions for adsorption/exchanging
sites onto zeolite particles [6,40]. The decrease of ammonium To identify the key process controlling the adsorption rate,
adsorption with the increase of waters pH above 7 is related to the several models must be checked for suitability and consistency over
increase in percentage of molecular ammonium, which resulted in a broad range of the system parameters. Pseudo-rst- and -second-
the reduction of ionexchange potential [10]. order and Bangham equations as well as the diffusion-based
Fig. 5. Effect of initial ammonium concentration on NH4+ removal capacity of the Fig. 6. Effect of pH on the removal of NH4+ ions (adsorbent dosage: 1 g/100 ml;
ActZ and NZ (stirring time: 40 min and 300 min for ActZ and NZ, respectively, at stirring time: 40 min and 300 min for ActZ and NZ, respectively; initial NH4+
25 8C and pH 7). concentration: 80 mg/L at 25 8C).
560 A. Alshameri et al. / Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 45 (2014) 554564
Fig. 8. Pseudo-rst order (a), pseudo-second-order (b), Bangham kinetic plots (c) and intra-particle diffusion of both zeolites ActZ (d) and NZ (e) for NH4+ removal.
Table 4. In Langmuir and Freundlich equations, coefcients K and 3.9. Thermodynamic study
KF represent the maximum amount that can be sorbed. Both values
for K and KF indicated that the activated zeolite has the higher The effect of temperature on ammonium exchange was studied
sorption capacity than the natural zeolite as shown in Table 4. at 25, 35 and 45 8C. Fig. 10 indicates that the amount of ammonium
exchanged onto zeolite increases with a decrease in temperature. A
Table 3
similar trend was also observed of some adsorbents, including
Kinetic parameters for NH4+ removal using various kinetic models.
Turkish clinoptilolite [8], Turkish zeolite [3], yash and sepiolite
Kinetic model Parameters [40], and NaA zeolite [45]. This may be due to a tendency for the
Pseudo-rst order K1 (min1) qe (mg/g) R2 ammonium molecules to escape from the solid phase to the bulk
Absorbent
phase with the solution temperature increase [3,45]. In contrast,
ActZ 0.0888 0.119123 0.954 increases in the NH4+ adsorption capacity with increasing
NZ 0.0165 2.5126 0.918 temperature have been reported for some other adsorbents
Kinetic model Parameters
[2,9]. Therefore, by comparing the results of the present work
Pseudo-second order
with those of the literature, it can be concluded that the effect of
h (mg/g min) qe (mg/g) R2
temperature on the adsorption of ammonium depends on both the
Absorbent nature of the adsorbent and the selected experimental conditions
ActZ 2.7156 3.821 0.999
[21]. Furthermore, ammonium exchange capacity decreases with
NZ 0.1646 3.28 0.997
increasing temperature due to a weakening of the attractive forces
Kinetic model Parameters between NH4+ and adsorbent sites [41] and when the temperature
Bangham model K0 a R2 increases, solubility of ammonium increases and its adsorption
Absorbent
decreases [37]. The thermodynamic parameters, such as Gibbs
ActZ 201.609 0.0379 0.979 energy (DG8), enthalpy (DH8), and entropy (DS8), for the adsorption
NZ 25.616 0.2981 0.958 of ammonium on zeolites were calculated using the following
equations:
Kinetic model Parameters
Intraparticle diffusion model Kid C R2 qe
K0 (9)
Absorbent Ce
ActZ 0.0102 3.7406 0.957
NZ 0.0977 1.3642 0.966 DG RT ln K 0 (10)
562 A. Alshameri et al. / Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 45 (2014) 554564
Fig. 9. The linearized Langmuir (a), Freundlich (b) of ActZ and NZ and Langmuir (c), Freundlich (d) adsorption isotherm of NH4+ curve at different temperature of ActZ.
Table 5
Change of thermodynamic parameters with temperature.
DG DH T DS (11) Temperature (8C) K0 DG8 (kJ/mol) DH8 (kJ/mol) DS8 (kJ/mol)
25 2.89 2.8662 49.384 0.1561
DH DS
ln K 0 (12) 35 2.01 1.3052
RT R 45 0.82 0.224
Eq. (12) represents a mathematical relationship between K0 and
1/T. The values of K0, DG8, DH8 and DS8 parameters are summarized
in Table 5. Change in the standard free energy DG8 has negative the negative value of the standard entropy change DS8 (0.1561 kJ/
values (2.8662 and 1.3052 kJ/mol) at 25 and 35 8C, respectively, mol) suggests that the randomness decreases the removal of NH4+
but positive value (0.224 kJ/mol) at 45 8C. The negative values of ions on the clinoptilolite [47].
free energy change (DG8) indicate that this adsorption process is The linear plot of LM and FM isotherm of ActZ at 25, 35 and
spontaneous; therefore, no energy input to the system is required. 45 8C is shown in Fig. 9c and d. The LM and FM parameters are
The higher negative value reects a more energetically presented in Table 5. The maximum value of K and KF at 25 8C
favorable adsorption [46]. For that reason, more energetically indicates that the NH4+ adsorption process is most effective at
favorable adsorption occurs at 25 8C. Change in the standard 25 8C. Comparing the correlation coefcients in Table 5 reects
enthalpy DH8 indicates a negative value of 49.384 kJ/mol;
therefore, ammonium exchange is an exothermic process. Also,
Table 4
Constants for equilibrium isotherm models of NZ and ActZ.
ActZ
25 8C 9.515 0.444 0.9982
35 8C 9.533 0.313 0.9986
45 8C 9.794 0.123 0.967
NZ
25 8C 3.445 0.1998 0.9772
ActZ
25 8C 3.5743 0.2992 0.9716
35 8C 3.0634 0.3043 0.9442
45 8C 2.0305 0.3938 0.8867
NZ Fig. 10. Effect temperature on the exchange isotherm of NH4+ on activated zeolite
25 8C 1.252 0.5192 0.7363 (ActZ).
A. Alshameri et al. / Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers 45 (2014) 554564 563
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