The adsorption of sulphate, hydrogenchromate and dihydrogenphosphate anions on surfactant-modified clinoptilolite

The adsorption of sulphate, hydrogenchromate and dihydrogenphosphate anions on surfactant-modified clinoptilolite (SMC) was investigated. The SMCs were prepared by the adsorption of cis-1-aminoctadecen-9 (oleylamine) on both modified and unmodified natural clinoptilolite tuff. The properties of the modified clinoptilolite samples, such as cation type, structure of the zeolite framework and ECEC value, determined the mechanism of oleylamine adsorption, and consequently anion adsorption on the external clinoptilolite surface. According to the strength of the anion adsorption, two groups of SMCs could be distinguished: strong and weak anion adsorbents. Strong anion adsorbents were obtained by oleylamine adsorption on H+-clinoptilolites by protonation of the –NH2 groups. This mechanism of oleylamine adsorption resulted in the surface precipitation mechanism of anion adsorption being the dominant mechanism. The oleylamine derivatives of Ca- and Na-clinoptilolite were weak anion adsorbents. Oleylamine is adsorbed on Ca- and Na-clinoptilolite by hydrogen bonding, thus yielding insufficient adsorption sites for anions. Hydrogenchromate and dihydrogenphosphate anions were nevertheless adsorbed on these SMCs by interaction with oleylamine. The experiments of anion adsorption on various oleylamine loaded SMCs confirmed the existence of two types of anion adsorption sites and showed that excess oleylamine did not significantly influence the anion adsorption in the investigated concentration range. The kinetic results showed that SO42− and H2PO4− adsorptions were slow processes while HCrO4− adsorption was completed in a few minutes.