Batool Salameh*⁽¹⁾ and Leila Habib⁽¹⁾  

 (1). Department of Soil and Water Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Tishreen University, Latakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: batoolzaka@gmail.com).

Received: 02/02/2018                                Accepted: 19/06/2018

Abstract

The objective of this study is to characterize natural zeolite ore by the use of X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and to study the ability of natural zeolite ore to bind cadmium from aqueous solutions. Adsorption factors such as zeolite particles size, initial Cd concentration, shaking time, solution: zeolite ratio and pH  were studied. Adsorption isotherms constructed then by the use of batch adsorption experiments. Langmuir and Freundlich models were used to represent adsorption data. XRD study showed that Analcime and Phillipsite are the main zeolitic minerals, and it contains non zeolitic minerals such as quartz, calcite and smectite minerals. Natural zeolite ore has high ability to remove cadmium from water solutions, and had 28 mg/g as maximum adsorption capacity. Adsorption increased with increasing initial cadmium concentration, shaking time and initial pH degree. pH 4-6 showed best range for adsorption. Adsorption is not affected by zeolite particle size and solution: zeolite ratio. This study was conducted at Soil Chemistry Laboratory during 2016/2017, but XRD study was conducted at the Atomic Energy Commission of Syria.

Key word: Zeolite ore, X ray diffraction, Adsorption, Cadmium.

Full paper in Arabic: PDF