Laboratory and synthetic study of nitrate removal from water by adsorbent

Nitrate is used as a chemical water quality indicator. The aim of this work was investigation of nitrate adsorption from aqueous solution by Nanocomposite celloluse/Fe3O4/ZnO as a efficient adsorption.

This study was conducted in a laboratory batch reactor. The most important variables affecting adsorption process were pH (2, 4, 6, 8, 10), time (25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 250, 300 min), nitrate concentration (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 mg/L), adsorption dose (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 g/ L), Mixing speed (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 r/ min) investigated and adsorption kinetic and isotherms were determinated. Spectrophotometer was used for nitrate measurement and adsorbent characteristics were determined by SEM and FTIR examinations

The results showed the optimum pH=6 and nitrate adsorption increased by increasing contact time and adsorbent dosage. The adsorbent specific surfact area of 10 m2/g was obtained and FTIR test revealed the finctional groups existing on adsorbent surface to have important role in nitrate adsorption. Experimental data was well fitted by pseudo second-order kinetic model. Langmuir isotherm model best represented the experimental data to describe adsorption.

Results showed that the nanocomposite cellulose/Fe3O4/ZnO can efficiently remove nitrate from aqueous solution