The present work is a continuation of studies on the use of ion-exchanging properties of smectite raw material from M.cinka mine to the recovery of chromium from waste water.
In this work the smectite ion-exchange column was used for removal of other heavy metals: Zn (II), Cd (II), Pb (II). The effect of ion exchange Zn (II), Cd (II), Pb (II) from model solutions prepared out of nitrate salts of these metals was examined under dynamic conditions. The efficiency of ion-exchange column with smectite bed was determined by measuring in the column efflux till the moment when the concentration of metals in efflux is equal to concentration in influx. For measurement of concentration of metals the voltamperometric method was used. The ion-exchanging column was determined by stating the following parameters: sorption capacity of exchanger, volume of solution till the moment of column breakthrough (Vmax) and column dynamics, which means the relative concentration of metal ions c/c0 in the efflux as a function of efflux volume. Out of the model waste water containing three heavy metals, the best eliminated is Pb (II) and subsequently Zn (II). The efflux volume classified to the 1st and 2nd category of water cleanness amounts to about 1/3 Vmax. Worse results are observed for ions Cd (II), which have the least ion exchange ability. The obtained results of studies on removal of ions of heavy metals: Zn (II), Cd (II), Pb (II) out of model waste water confirm, similar to the Cr (III) studies, the possibility of application of the raw smectite adsorbent as the column packing within the process of removal of heavy metals.