An approach to physical characterization of fundamental ion exchange and adsorption behaviours of tuffaceous minerals in aqueous solutions of some environmental pollutants

J Radioanal Nucl Chem (2013) 298:1023–1029

Abstract

Adsorption was measured and compared for the uptake of zinc, iron, lead, copper and ammonium onto clinoptilolite- and mordenite-rich tuffs of Slovakian and Chinese origin for both the natural and near homoionic Na form as well, using the radioanalytical and spectrometric determination. The higher quality of Slovakian clinoptilolite-rich tuff has been proven to be effective for a potential lead and ammonium removal in native form, while parent tuff in Na exchanged variety may be proposed for even Fe(III) species removal out of water. The raw and Na-exchanged mordenite-rich tuffs proved subsequently more or less similar selectivity, however lower adsorption capacity. Chinese clinoptilolite-rich tuff has not proved any exceptional high adsorption performance towards Fe(III) species. The data obtained from the adsorption experiments at 7–75 _C were used for calculation of some thermodynamic parameters—Gibbs free energy, activation energy, standard enthalpy and entropy, too.