title: Simultaneous removal of Ni(II), As(III), and Sb(III) from spiked mine effluent with metakaolin and blast-furnace-slag geopolymers.
abstract: The mining industry is a major contributor of various toxic metals and metalloids to the aquatic environment. Efficient and economical water treatment methods are therefore of paramount importance. The application of natural or low-cost sorbents has attracted a great deal of interest due to the simplicity of its process and its potential effectiveness. Geopolymers represent an emerging group of sorbents. In this study, blast-furnace-slag and metakaolin geopolymers and their raw materials were tested for simultaneous removal of Ni(II), As(III) and Sb(III) from spiked mine effluent. Blast-furnace-slag geopolymer proved to be the most efficient of the studied materials: the experimental maximum sorption capacities for Ni, As and, Sb were 3.74 mg/g, 0.52 mg/g, and 0.34 mg/g, respectively. Although the capacities were relatively low due to the difficult water matrix, 90-100% removal of Ni, As, and Sb was achieved when the dose of sorbent was increased appropriately. Removal kinetics fitted well with the pseudo-second-order model. Our results indicate that geopolymer technology could offer a simple and effective way to turn blast-furnace slag to an effective sorbent with a specific utilization prospect in the mining industry.
authors.affiliation: Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, Kuntokatu 5, FI-87100, Kajaani, Finland; University of Oulu, Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry, FI-90014, University of Oulu, Finland. Electronic address: tero.luukkonen@oulu.fi.
authors.forename: Tero
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Luukkonen
authors.affiliation: University of Oulu, Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry, FI-90014, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Runtti
authors.affiliation: University of Oulu, Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry, FI-90014, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Mikko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niskanen
authors.affiliation: University of Oulu, Research Unit of Sustainable Chemistry, FI-90014, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Emma-Tuulia
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Tolonen
authors.affiliation: Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, Kuntokatu 5, FI-87100, Kajaani, Finland.
authors.forename: Minna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarkkinen
authors.affiliation: Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, Kuntokatu 5, FI-87100, Kajaani, Finland.
authors.forename: Kimmo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kemppainen
authors.affiliation: University of Oulu, Thule Institute, FI-90014, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Jaakko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rämö
authors.affiliation: Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, Kuntokatu 5, FI-87100, Kajaani, Finland; University of Jyvaskyla, Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius, Unit of Applied Chemistry, Talonpojankatu 2B, FI-67100 Kokkola, Finland.
authors.forename: Ulla
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lassi
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000965:Antimony / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D000075322:Heavy Metal Poisoning; D007700:Kinetics; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008906:Mining; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D011041:Poisoning; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000965:Antimony; D001151:Arsenic; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D009532:Nickel; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Adsorption; Blast-furnace slag; Geopolymer; Metakaolin; Mine-water treatment