Removal of chromate from wastewater using amine-based surfactant-modified clinoptilolite

This study presents the results of chromate adsorption upon organically modified clinoptilolite obtained by the treatment of Bigadic clinoptilolite with surfactants in primary amine structure, namely 1-dodecylamine, 1-hexadecylamine and oleylamine. Natural and organo-clinoptilolites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry which proved the integration of amine groups followed by the order oleylamine > 1-hexadecylamine > 1-dodecylamine. Organo-clinoptilolites were tested for their efficacy in chromate removal under base case conditions which implied 100 ppm initial concentration, pH 4.0, 10 g l^-1 adsorbent dose and at 298 K. Results showed that amine loading induced chromate removal reaching up to 90 % for oleylamine-modified clinoptilolite. Experimentation was continued to determine the effects of pH, adsorbent dosage and initial concentration on chromate adsorption. Accordingly, maximum removal of 94.0 % was attained with 14 g l^-1 of oleylamine- modified clinoptilolite, from Cr(VI) solution of 100 ppm initially at pH 3.0. Langmuir isotherm described the adsorption of chromate on oleylamine-modified clinoptilolite with 96.4 % consistency. Maximum theoretical uptake capacity was calculated as 6.72 mg g^-1. Kinetic data were consistent with pseudo-second-order model with the controlling steps being film and pore diffusions.