Heavy Metals Removal.pdf

Heavy metals like mercury, lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, chromium, and arsenic are highly toxic contaminants commonly used in industrial enterprises, resulting in high levels of these compounds in industrial wastewater, which can enter oceans and increase in concentration in contaminated areas. To clean up such effluents, sorption methods can be used to extract trace amounts of contamination, and natural zeolite has been studied for its adsorption properties, particularly for copper and chromium ions. The adsorption of these ions by clinoptilolite has been investigated, showing a significant difference in sorption capacity, with copper cations being better adsorbed than chromium ions. Experimental studies have been conducted to determine the sorption capacity of natural zeolite for copper and chromium compounds, and the results show that copper ions are selectively extracted, with their concentration on the sorbent surface increasing with the concentration of copper in the solution. The studies also indicate a simultaneous mechanism of ion exchange and physical adsorption, and the possibility of chromatographic separation of copper and chromium ions.