Author(s):
1. Jelena Penavin-Škundrić, Prirodno-matematički fakultet Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2. Zorica Levi, Faculty of Technology Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
3. Darko Bodroža, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina
4. Milica Lolić, Faculty of Technology Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract:
Huge quantities of waste materials are taken into the water systems each year. Waste water has to be purified before being released into the receiving watercourse in order to adjust its quality, i.e. polluting burden, which it carries in itself, with the assimilation, i.e. self-purification capacity of the receiver. Since adsorption represents one of the procedures for purifying waste water, this study is an attempt to find a more economical, but better adsorbent for purification of the water polluted by copper ions. For that reason the adsorbent used was the natural aluminosilicate (white tuff) from the territory of the Republic of Srpska. Adsorption characteristics of the materials, particularly aluminosilicate – zeolite samples, can be affected by the acid, i.e. base activation. Namely, this study examined adsorption characteristics of the original white tuff and its acid and base activated forms in contact with the aqueous solution CuSO4•5H2O, as a model of the system. Acid activation of the natural zeolite is most frequently applied in producing highly active adsorbents. The sample was treated with acid, i.e. with 20% H2SO4. Base activation is a more frequent manner of improving the quality of tuffs. The sample was activated with base, i.e. with 20% Na2CO3. By observing adsorption, it was concluded that adsorption is physical and multi-layer. It was examined according to Fröndlich adsorption isotherm. The values n and k were graphically determined and the adsorption heat was calculated.

Key words:
adsorpcija, zeoliti, klinoptilolit, hojlandit, otpadne vode.

Thematic field:
SYMPOSIUM A - Science of matter, condensed matter and physics of solid states

Date of abstract submission:
29.05.2015.

Conference:
Contemporary Materials 2015 - Savremeni Materijali