Hexavalent chromium removal from aqueous solution by adsorption on modified zeolites coated with Mg-layered double hydroxides

In this study, MgAl-LDHs and MgFe-LDHs were synthesized via co-precipitation method and in situ coated on pre-washed zeolites through dipping process in beaker. The obtained modified zeolites and original zeolites were utilized as substrates of constructed rapid infiltration systems (CRIS) to remove hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in wastewater. Micro-morphology features and chemical composition of zeolites before and after modification were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF). The SEM, XRD, and XRF results demonstrated the feasibility of LDHs coated on the surface of the original zeolites. Purification experiments in simulated CRIS showed that the Cr(VI) removal rates of zeolites/MgAl-LDHs increased by 110.03% on average every concentration (0.5–16 mg L⁻¹) compared with the original zeolites under 24-h HRT. The adsorption capacity of zeolites/MgAl-LDHs reached 66.98 mg kg⁻¹ at 32 mg L⁻¹ initial Cr(VI) concentration, which is nearly twice that of the original zeolites (33.24 mg kg⁻¹) and 1.5 times higher than that of zeolites/MgFe-LDHs (42.01 mg kg⁻¹). Isothermal adsorption tests showed that the Freundlich isotherm equations gave better fitting to the adsorption process. And zeolites/MgAl-LDHs showed a best fit with pseudo-second-order model which meant that the adsorption of Cr(VI) by zeolites/MgAl-LDHs was dominated by chemisorption. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the process of adsorption for the three substrates was spontaneous and endothermic intrinsically. Zeolites/MgAl-LDHs also displayed nearly 60% desorption rate with low concentration eluent (0.01 mol L⁻¹ NaCl). Therefore, zeolites/MgAl-LDHs were chosen out as an optimal substrate for removing Cr(VI) from wastewater in CRIS. Graphical Abstract