Jianfeng Pang

Comparison of two adsorbents for the removal of pentavalent arsenic from aqueous solutions.

Two adsorbents, magnesia-loaded fly ash cenospheres (MGLC) and manganese-loaded fly ash cenospheres (MNLC), were prepared by wet impregnation of fly ash cenospheres with MgCl(2) solution or a mixed solution of MnCl(2) and KMnO(4), respectively. Their physicochemical properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. Sorption experiments were conducted to examine the effects of adsorbent dosage, pH, time, temperature, ionic strength and competing anions on As(V) removal by MGLC and MNLC. Both MGLC and MNLC had greater pH buffering capacity and were less affected by changes in ionic strength. Competing anions (carbonate and dihydric phosphate) had a larger impact on As(V) removal by MNLC than by MGLC. Adsorption on MNLC reached equilibrium at 60 min, while adsorption on MGLC reached equilibrium at 120 min. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm was a good fit for the experimental data of As(V) adsorption on MGLC and MNLC, and the adsorption kinetics for both followed the pseudo-second-order rate equation. MGLC and MNLC had a larger removal capacity for As(V) than the cenospheres. Compared with MNLC, MGLC is a better absorbent.

Column-mode fluoride removal from aqueous solution by magnesia-loaded fly ash cenospheres

Column experiments in a fixed bed reactor packed with a certain amount of magnesia-loaded fly ash cenospheres (MLC) were conducted to examine the effects of adsorbent mass, flow velocities, influent concentrations and coexisting anions on fluoride removal. The breakthrough time increased with an increase in adsorbent mass, but decreased with increasing influent fluoride concentration. The exhaustion time decreased with the increase in the influent fluoride concentration. The capacity at the breakthrough point increased with an increase in adsorbent mass, flow velocity and the influent fluoride concentration. The capacity at the exhaustion point increased with an increase in flow velocity, but showed no specific trend with an increase in the initial fluoride concentration. The bed volumes at breakthrough point increased with an increase in adsorbent mass, flow velocity and the influent fluoride concentration. The empty bed contact time decreased with an increase in flow velocity. The coexisting anions reduced the adsorption capacity of the fixed bed reactor in the order: mixture of all three anions>dihydric phosphate>nitrate>sulfate. The adsorbent exhaustion rate decreased with the increase in flow velocity and adsorbent mass, whereas it increased with increasing influent fluoride concentration. Columns with large amounts of MLC are preferable in order to obtain optimal results during the adsorption process, and the higher the flow velocity, the better the column performance. The Bohart and Adams model and the Thomas model were applied to the experimental results. Column adsorption was reversible and the regeneration operation was accomplished by pumping 0.2 M NaOH through the loaded MLC column.

Synthesis of fly-ash cenospheres coated with polypyrrole using a layer-by-layer method

Uniform polypyrrole (PPy) films, of controlled thickness, were successfully synthesized and immobilized on polyelectrolyte (PE) multilayer-assembled fly-ash cenospheres (FACs) using a simple and versatile method. In this approach, FACs were assembled with multilayers of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) using a layer-by-layer self-assembly procedure. The FACs were used as templates for the subsequent deposition of PPy. The deposition behaviours of PEs on the surfaces of the FACs were examined, and the results could be fitted to a first-order exponential decay model at pH 6. The surfaces of the PE-deposited FACs (FAC-(PDDA-PSS)n, n is the number of PE layers) became more homogeneous as n increased. Their properties were determined mainly by the PE, not by the FAC itself, after n = 4. PPy-coated FACs with PE precursor layers [(PPy/FAC-(PDDA-PSS)n] had different morphologies for different numbers of PE layers. The PPy loading amount on the FACs and the conductivities of the composites reached plateaus after the PE layer deposition number exceeded six.