Continuous and selective copper recovery by multi-modified and granulated SBA-15

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Heavy metal pollution from industrial wastewater poses significant environmental risks.
• Mesoporous silica materials like SBA-15 offer promising properties for pollutant adsorption.
• Developing selective and reusable adsorbents is key for effective heavy metal remediation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a modified mesoporous silica material (GMN-SBA) for enhanced copper recovery.
• To evaluate the adsorption capacity and selectivity of GMN-SBA for copper and other heavy metals.
• To assess the performance of GMN-SBA in a continuous fixed-bed column for practical application.

Main Methods:

• Hydrothermal synthesis of SBA-15.
• Modification of SBA-15 with manganese loading and amine-grafting (MN-SBA).
• Granulation of MN-SBA using alginic acid (GMN-SBA).
• Adsorption experiments for Cu, Zn, Ni, and Mn.
• Fixed-bed column adsorption studies and dynamic modeling (LDFA).

Main Results:

• GMN-SBA exhibited high adsorption capacities for heavy metals, with a particular affinity for copper.
• Granulation improved regeneration and separation, enabling reuse for at least 5 cycles with >80% capacity retention.
• Fixed-bed column studies confirmed efficient copper recovery and selectivity, with breakthrough times influenced by operational parameters.
• The Linear Driving Force Approximation (LDFA) model accurately described the adsorption dynamics.

Conclusions:

• Granulated modified mesoporous silica (GMN-SBA) is an effective adsorbent for selective copper recovery from heavy metal wastewater.
• The material's reusability and performance in fixed-bed systems make it suitable for industrial wastewater treatment.
• The study highlights the potential of tailored mesoporous materials for environmental remediation and resource recovery.