Enhanced Arsenic(V) Removal on an Iron-Based Sorbent Modified by Lanthanum(III)

Modification of a commercial iron oxide ion exchanger (Arsen X(np)) was carried out to enhance the removal of arsenic(V) ions. The modification consisted of the adsorption of lanthanum(III) ions on the Arsen X(np) surface. After adsorption, the material was dried at 313 K to obtain the modified ion exchanger Arsen X(np)-La(III). The modification process itself was tested for optimal pH, kinetics, and equilibrium adsorption isotherm study. Accurate sorbent characteristics were made using, among others, SEM, FTIR, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms. Then, various tests were carried out to compare the adsorption properties of the modified and unmodified material. It turned out that the tested material was able to completely remove arsenic from an aqueous solution with an initial concentration of up to 50 mg/dm(3). Without modification, it was not possible to reach the WHO recommended 10 μg/dm(3) arsenic limit even at an initial concentration of 25 mg/dm(3). Moreover, the maximum sorption capacity increased from 22.37 to 61.97 mg/g after modification (3 times greater than before modification). It is worth noting that the process of removing arsenic on Arsen X(np)-La(III) is fast—equilibrium is reached after about 120 min. Under almost neutral conditions, precipitation and adsorption can be the main mechanisms of As(V) removal. After modification, the removal capacity was enhanced by the co-precipitation and adsorption by exchange of the OH– group with arsenic ions. Such La(III) based adsorbent can be successfully applied in wastewater purification and displays superior performance for removing arsenic.