Treatment, characterization and Pb2+, Cu2+, Ni2+ and Zn2+ adsorption behaviour of chemically treated bentonite clay: a comparative study

摘要

A sample of bentonite from Mostaganem (N.W. Algeria) was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The acid-activated bentonite was employed as adsorbent for four heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions by mean of batch experiments. The effect of shaking time, pH of aqueous solution, metal concentration and adsorbent amount was studied. The effective pH range was found to be in the range 4 to 6, in which Algerian bentonite showed significant removing potential for Pb2+, Cu2+, Zn2+ and Ni2+ ions from aqueous solutions.