Adsorptive removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution using sulfuric acid-treated diatomite

In this study, diatomite underwent acid treatment and was examined for its capability to adsorb chromium (VI) (Cr (VI)) from water. The diatomite was treated with sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) in varying concentrations (2–10 M) over different activation times (4–12 h), solid-to-liquid ratios (50–250 g/L), a...

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Main Authors: Sintayehu Shewatatek, Girma Gonfa, Sintayehu Mekuria Hailegiorgis, Belete Tessema
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Results in Chemistry
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211715625001882
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author Sintayehu Shewatatek
Girma Gonfa
Sintayehu Mekuria Hailegiorgis
Belete Tessema
author_facet Sintayehu Shewatatek
Girma Gonfa
Sintayehu Mekuria Hailegiorgis
Belete Tessema
author_sort Sintayehu Shewatatek
collection DOAJ
description In this study, diatomite underwent acid treatment and was examined for its capability to adsorb chromium (VI) (Cr (VI)) from water. The diatomite was treated with sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) in varying concentrations (2–10 M) over different activation times (4–12 h), solid-to-liquid ratios (50–250 g/L), and activation temperatures (60–90). Optimal Cr (VI) removal was achieved with a 4 M H2SO4 concentration, an activation time of 10 h, a solid-to-liquid ratio of 50 g/L, and an activation temperature of 90 °C. Both raw diatomite and acid-treated diatomite (TDE) were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET), and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). BET analysis showed an increase in surface area from 22.39 m2/g to 34.83 m2/g after treatment. The maximum Cr(VI) removal efficiency of 86.7 % was achieved at pH 2, 0.3 g/100 mL adsorbent dosage, 60 min contact time, and 10 ppm initial Cr(VI) concentration, according to the optimization of adsorption studies that were carried out across varying pH (2−10), adsorbent dosage (0.1–0.5 g/100 mL), contact time (15–75 min), and initial Cr(VI) concentration (10–30 ppm). The Freundlich and Sips isotherm models provided the best description of the adsorption process, revealing heterogeneous surface interactions and a maximum adsorption capacity of 16.395 mg/g. Chemisorption was confirmed as the major mechanism by kinetic analysis, which showed that the pseudo-second-order model fit the data the best. Thermodynamic studies validated the process as spontaneous and endothermic. These findings show that diatomite treated with sulfuric acid is a very efficient adsorbent for removing Cr(VI) from tainted water.
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publishDate 2025-05-01
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spelling doaj-art-047cce0573af42c19a15068e958a349f2025-08-20T03:46:37ZengElsevierResults in Chemistry2211-71562025-05-011510220510.1016/j.rechem.2025.102205Adsorptive removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution using sulfuric acid-treated diatomiteSintayehu Shewatatek0Girma Gonfa1Sintayehu Mekuria Hailegiorgis2Belete Tessema3Department of Chemical Engineering, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, 16417 Addis Ababa, EthiopiaDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, 16417 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Biotechnology and Bioprocess Center of Excellence, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, 16417 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Nanotechnology Center of Excellence, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, 16417 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.; Corresponding author at: Department of Chemical Engineering, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, 16417 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Department of Chemical Engineering, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, 16417 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Biotechnology and Bioprocess Center of Excellence, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, 16417 Addis Ababa, EthiopiaDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, 16417 Addis Ababa, EthiopiaIn this study, diatomite underwent acid treatment and was examined for its capability to adsorb chromium (VI) (Cr (VI)) from water. The diatomite was treated with sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) in varying concentrations (2–10 M) over different activation times (4–12 h), solid-to-liquid ratios (50–250 g/L), and activation temperatures (60–90). Optimal Cr (VI) removal was achieved with a 4 M H2SO4 concentration, an activation time of 10 h, a solid-to-liquid ratio of 50 g/L, and an activation temperature of 90 °C. Both raw diatomite and acid-treated diatomite (TDE) were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET), and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). BET analysis showed an increase in surface area from 22.39 m2/g to 34.83 m2/g after treatment. The maximum Cr(VI) removal efficiency of 86.7 % was achieved at pH 2, 0.3 g/100 mL adsorbent dosage, 60 min contact time, and 10 ppm initial Cr(VI) concentration, according to the optimization of adsorption studies that were carried out across varying pH (2−10), adsorbent dosage (0.1–0.5 g/100 mL), contact time (15–75 min), and initial Cr(VI) concentration (10–30 ppm). The Freundlich and Sips isotherm models provided the best description of the adsorption process, revealing heterogeneous surface interactions and a maximum adsorption capacity of 16.395 mg/g. Chemisorption was confirmed as the major mechanism by kinetic analysis, which showed that the pseudo-second-order model fit the data the best. Thermodynamic studies validated the process as spontaneous and endothermic. These findings show that diatomite treated with sulfuric acid is a very efficient adsorbent for removing Cr(VI) from tainted water.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211715625001882DiatomiteSulfuric acidAcid treatment, Cr (VI), Adsorption
spellingShingle Sintayehu Shewatatek
Girma Gonfa
Sintayehu Mekuria Hailegiorgis
Belete Tessema
Adsorptive removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution using sulfuric acid-treated diatomite
Results in Chemistry
Diatomite
Sulfuric acid
Acid treatment, Cr (VI), Adsorption
title Adsorptive removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution using sulfuric acid-treated diatomite
title_full Adsorptive removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution using sulfuric acid-treated diatomite
title_fullStr Adsorptive removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution using sulfuric acid-treated diatomite
title_full_unstemmed Adsorptive removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution using sulfuric acid-treated diatomite
title_short Adsorptive removal of Cr(VI) from aqueous solution using sulfuric acid-treated diatomite
title_sort adsorptive removal of cr vi from aqueous solution using sulfuric acid treated diatomite
topic Diatomite
Sulfuric acid
Acid treatment, Cr (VI), Adsorption
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211715625001882
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AT sintayehumekuriahailegiorgis adsorptiveremovalofcrvifromaqueoussolutionusingsulfuricacidtreateddiatomite
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