Study on ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency on selected sorbents

Abstract

In this paper the authors present the impact study on the electrokinetic potential of ammonium nitrogen removal capabilities using various sorption materials. The study included an analysis of the electrokinetic potential zeta of the selected sorbents and their suitability to determine the removal efficiency of ammonium ions from the model solution and a liquid sludge from the sludge digestion process. Used materials were both natural and modified in the form of dust: activated carbon, natural zeolite, bentonite, sepiolite and ferric sludge from water treatment. Tested materials had a negative electrokinetic potential. The lowest potential of activated carbon had a value of zeta = -20.4 mV and the highest value zeta = -12.1 mV obtained for sepiolite. The results showed a clear dependence of ammonia nitrogen removal on the value of the electrokinetic potential. Sorbents with the most negative zeta potential values had a highest removal efficiency of ammonium ions (carbon, zeolite). The maximum value of the individual removal of ammonium ions was 10 mg N-NH4/g of activated carbon, which is characterized by the most negative value of the electrokinetic potential zeta. The results from this study suggest that, the usefulness of knowledge of the electrokinetic potential, as one of the key parameters of evaluating the physicochemical properties of sorbents