Removal of lead ions from acid aqueous solutions and acid mine drainage using zeolite bearing tuff

The adsorption of lead ions onto a zeolite bearing tuff (stilbite) from synthetic acid aqueous solution and acid mine drainage taken from Sasa mine, Macedonia, is elaborated in this paper. The results present that adsorption occurs effi ciently in both of cases. The physical and chemical properties of the used natural material, zeolite bearing tuff, are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy. The concentration of metal ions in solution before and after treatment is obtained by AES-ICP. The effectivity of zeolite bearing tuff is determined through a series of experiments under batch conditions from single ion solutions, whereby the main parameters are the effects of initial pH of solution, mass of adsorbent, initial metal concentration in solution, contacting time and competing cations. The maximum capacity of zeolite bearing tuff for removal of lead ions from solution is determined by equilibrium studies. The experimental obtained data are fi tted with Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption models. The experimental data are better fi tted with Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Zeolite bearing tuff is effective adsorbent for treating acid mine drainage. The results showed that 99% of lead ions are removed from acid mine drainage, i.e. the concentration of lead ions from 0.329 mg/dm3 decrease to 0.002 mg/dm3. The pH value of acid mine drainage from 3.90 after treatment with zeolite bearing tuff increases to 5.36