Abstract
The sorption behavior of copper ions Cu2+ from aqueous solution on calcium phosphate DCPD was studied in static conditions, using batch experiments. The reaction process has shown the occurrence of two major steps. During the first interaction minutes, a rapid process occurred and led to removal of over 70% of copper ions by diffusion at the solid–solute interface. In the second step, the equilibrium was reached slowly after 300–400 min of reaction. Using the surface kinetic modeling, the experimental data was found to follow the pseudo-first-order model, which suggests the predominance of the chemisorption-type process, corresponding to a cation-exchange reaction between Cu2+ in solution and Ca2+ present in the phosphate structure. The sorption isotherm study has shown a well fit of the experimental data with the Sips model, with parameters indicating a single surface layer sorption mechanism and a maximum retention capacity of 309 mg/g when using low concentrations of reactants. At higher concentrations of Cu2+, the pH of solutions decreases and the system becomes heterogeneous due to the partial dissolution of calcium phosphate DCPD.
Acknowledgment
The authors are grateful for the financial support of this project by research Grant (SCH04/09) of University of Mohammed V-Agdal, Morocco.