Effective removal of lead ions from aqueous solution using nano illite/smectite clay: Isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic modeling of adsorption

Abstract

Illite-smectite clay is a new mixed mineral of illite and montmorillonite. The ability of nano illite/smectite clay to remove Pb(II) from slightly polluted aqueous solutions has been investigated. The effects of pH, contact time, initial concentration of Pb(II), nano illite/smectite clay dosage, and temperature on the adsorption process were studied. The nano illite/smectite clay was characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that Pb(II) was adsorbed efficiently by nano illite/smectite clay in aqueous solution. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model best described the kinetic of the adsorption, and the adsorption capacity of nano illite/smectite (I-Sm) clay was found to be 256.41 μg·g-1 for Pb(II). The adsorption patterns followed the Langmuir isotherm model. Thermodynamic parameters, including the Gibbs free energy (ΔG), enthalpy (ΔH), and entropy (ΔS) changes, indicated that the present adsorption process was feasible, spontaneous, and endothermic in the temperature range of 298-333 K.