ORIGINAL RESEARCH
pH, Ionic Strength, and Ion Competition Effect
on Cu(II) and Ni(II) Sorption by a Na-bentonite
Used as Liner Material
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1
Institute for Research and Development in Process Engineering, Biotechnology and Alternative Energies
(PROBIEN, CONICET – UNCo), Neuquén, Argentina
2
Comahue Research Center of Environmental Toxicology and Agrobiotechnology
(CITAAC, CONICET – UNCo), Neuquén, Argentina
Submission date: 2017-12-12
Final revision date: 2018-01-26
Acceptance date: 2018-01-30
Online publication date: 2019-01-18
Publication date: 2019-03-01
Corresponding author
Telma Belén Musso
Institute for Research and Development in Process Engineering, Biotechnology and Alternative Energies (PROBIEN, CONICET – UNCo), Buenos Aires 1400, Neuquen, 8300 Neuquen, Argentina
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2019;28(4):2299-2309
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ABSTRACT
The potential of a Na-bentonite to be used as liner material for the adsorption of Cu(II) and Ni(II)
ions from mono, bi, and polycationic solutions was investigated by batch mode. pH and ionic strength
effect on Cu(II) and Ni(II) sorption were evaluated. For isotherm sorption studies, metal solutions
parameters (pH and ionic strength) were selected simulating common landfill leachate conditions
in the acidogenic stage. The removal of these ions by the Na-bentonite is dominantly controlled by
sorption (specifically, cation exchange) under acidic conditions, but it can be strongly enhanced by metal
oxide/hydroxide precipitation under alkaline conditions. Adsorption equilibrium models for the single,
binary, and multicomponent systems indicate that the Langmuir-type model can fit the experimental data
very well for all of them. The co-presence of metals led to a decrease in the sorption of both metals due
to competition for adsorption sites. Optimum conditions are obtained when the ionic strength of solution
is low (<0.05 M), pH is higher than 6, and the metal concentration is lower than 20 mg/L. Adsorption
rates indicate that in addition to its quality as a physical barrier this bentonite can also act as a chemical
barrier, limiting the migration of heavy metals from security landfills.