Removal of Cu2+ and Ni2+ from Wastewater by Using Modified Alkali-Leaching Residual Wire Sludge as Low-Cost Adsorbent

Kong, Ming; Wang, Longmian; Chao, Jianying; Ji, Zhongxi; Peng, Fuquan; Yang, Fei; Zhang, Yimin

Removal of Cu2+ and Ni2+ from Wastewater by Using Modified Alkali-Leaching Residual Wire Sludge as Low-Cost Adsorbent

2019

Alkali-leaching residual wire sludge (AWRS) is an abundant by-product in the harmless disposal process of wire rope sludge. In this study, we modified AWRS through thermal treatment to produce a low-cost and highly efficient adsorbent for the removal of Cu²⁺ and Ni²⁺ from wastewater. The results indicated that AWRS calcinated at 700 °C exhibited maximum Cu²⁺ and Ni²⁺ removal capacities (36.48 mg/g and 46.58 mg/g, respectively). The adsorption process was observed to follow the Elovich kinetic model and the Langmuir–Freundlich isotherm model. The sorption of Cu²⁺ and Ni²⁺ on AWRS700 was highly pH dependent and behaved optimally at the solution pH values of 6 and 5, respectively. Column studies and physicochemical analyses (XRD, SEM-EDS, and XPS) indicated that the sorption of Cu²⁺ and Ni²⁺ on AWRS700 was mainly governed by the chemisorption mechanism, and this was attributed to active metal oxides (Fe₂O₃, CaO, and Al₂O₃) in AWRS700. Specifically, Cu²⁺ is mainly adsorbed on AWRS700 in the form of Cu(OH)₂, CuO₂, and CuFeO₂, and Ni²⁺ is mainly adsorbed in the form of NiAlO₄, Ni₂O₃, and Ni(OH)₂. Given the low-cost and high adsorption efficiency of AWRS700, the developed AWRS700 is a promising adsorbent for Cu²⁺ and Ni²⁺ removal from wastewater.

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