title: Removal of phosphate from aqueous solution by thermally treated natural palygorskite.
abstract: The potential of activated palygorskite was assessed for sorption of phosphate from aqueous solution. The natural palygorskite used was treated by thermal activation over 100-1000 degrees C for 2h. The thermal activation increased the phosphate sorption capacity and the highest phosphate sorption capacity occurred at 700 degrees C. H700 (palygorskite heated at 700 degrees C) showed higher sorption rate than natural palygorskite (NPAL), and the removal was favorable in acidic media. The sorption data were described using Freundlich isotherm equation over the concentration range (5-1000mg/L) (25 degrees C). Calcium bound phosphorus was the main fraction of the adsorbed phosphorus, about 98.0% in NPAL and 58.2% in H700, but the extractive Ca-P species varied greatly, Ca(2)-P was 87.7% in NPAL and 3.0% in H700, Ca(8)-P was 10.1% in NPAL and 54.5% in H700, and metal bound phosphorus was less than 2% in NPAL but more than 41.4% in H700, respectively. The dependence of the phosphate sorption capacity in the heating samples on thermal activation appears to be related to major changes in the crystal structure of palygorskite, and more calcium, iron and aluminum were released from the crystal matrix at 700 degrees C, which promoted phosphorus sorption.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 210008 Nanjing, China; Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Fangqun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: Jianmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Huoyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Changwen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Xiaoqin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D006358:Hot Temperature; D017616:Magnesium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry*; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D018508:Water Purification; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D017616:Magnesium Compounds; D010710:Phosphates; D017655:Silicon Compounds; D014867:Water; C026325:attapulgite