Optimization of Fluoride Adsorption on Acid Modified Bentonite Clay Using Fixed-Bed Column by Response Surface...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Fluoride contamination in water poses significant health risks.
• Low-cost adsorbents like Bentonite are explored for fluoride removal.
• Previous studies focused on batch adsorption; continuous systems require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate acid-treated Bentonite (ATB) for continuous fluoride removal.
• To optimize operating parameters for fluoride adsorption using ATB.
• To assess the suitability of ATB for real-world water treatment.

Main Methods:

• Column adsorption studies were conducted using ATB.
• Central Composite Design (CCD) was employed for parameter optimization.
• Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) assessed variable significance.

Main Results:

• Optimal conditions: 5.51 mg/L fluoride, 17.2 mL/min flow rate, 8.88 cm bed depth.
• Achieved 100% fluoride removal and 2.46 mg/g adsorption capacity.
• Desirability value of 1.0 indicates highly successful optimization.

Conclusions:

• Acid activation enhances Bentonite's efficacy for fluoride adsorption.
• ATB is a promising adsorbent for continuous fluoride removal from aqueous solutions.
• The optimized process demonstrates high efficiency and potential for field application.