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Surface Properties of Heat-Treated Clinoptilolites and Their Relationship to Lead Removal from Aqueous Solutions

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study investigated the effects of heat treatment on the surface properties, structure, and Pb(II) sorption capacity of natural clinoptilolite zeolite (Nat-CLI). For this purpose, 10 g samples of Nat-CLI were heated separately at 300, 400, and 500 °C for two hours. The resulting samples were labeled CLI-300, CLI-400, and CLI-500, respectively. The samples were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, and point of zero-charge (pHpzc) measurements. XRD results confirmed that the crystal structure of Nat-CLI remained unchanged after heat treatment, a finding supported by FT-IR and TGA analyses. BET analysis revealed that the heating temperature altered both the specific surface area (SBET) and the mean pore diameter. The values were as follows: SBET = 16.5, 14.1, 14.4, and 14.9 m2/g and mean pore diameter = 38.1, 36.0, 48.6, and 36.0 Å for Nat-CLI, CLI-300, CLI-400, and CLI-500, respectively. The results of the kinetic study showed that the pseudo-second order model best agreed with the experimental data for all adsorbents. The maximum sorption capacities of Pb(II) were 28.26, 32.96, 34.69, and 33.85 mg/g for Nat-CLI and CLI-300, CLI-400, and CLI-500, respectively. These results suggest that the sample treated at 400 °C (CLI-400) achieved the highest sorption capacity due to its larger mean pore diameter.
Source: Processes
DOI: 10.3390/pr13123955
Authors: Adolfo Quiroz, Mohamed Abatal, Francisco Anguebes-Franseschi, Claudia Aguilar Ucán
Language: English
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,896
OpenAlex ID: W7110446290
FWCI: 0.258
Cites: 50
Cited by: 1
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