Extraction of Selected Heavy Metals Using Modified Clays

Abstract

In the present study, attapulgite, kaolinite, and montmorillonite KSF were modified using azeotropic distillation to condense 2-mercaptoethanol with the clay material. The resulting product was used as a coordinating agent to remove selected metal ions, e.g., copper(II), cadmium(II), silver(I), nickel(II), and lead(II) ions from standard aqueous solutions. Batch systems were used, and samples were shaken for two hours, and following filtration, metal content of the filtrate was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. Without adjusting the pH, better than 90% of the metal ions could be removed.

Keywords:

• Mercaptoethanol
• Cadmium
• Copper
• Lead
• Nickel
• Silver
• Attapulgite
• Kaolinite
• Montmorillonite
• Remediation

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We acknowledge helpful comments of Dr. Craig Bowe and Mrs. Barbara Martin, as well as those of an anonymous reviewer.