Removal of Cu and Pb from Wastewater Using Modified Natural Zeolite

In this article, the copper and lead adsorption process using Indonesian Natural Zeolite (INZ) is studied as an adsorbent. INZ samples were obtained from Sumbermanjing Wetan, Malang district, East Java. The influence of activating acid concentration and different types of acid on the removal of copper and lead were evaluated. The activated INZ was used for adsorption of Cu and Pb from chemistry laboratory wastewater of State Islamic University of Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang. INZ were characterized by X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Characterization using XRD indicated that the activation does not affect structural changes and the diffraction pattern showed that INZ had a mordenite phase. The XRF spectra showed that increasing concentration of the activating acid simultaneously reduces undesired metal content in INZ. Determination of Cu and Pb content using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy on wastewater showed that increasing concentration of the activating acid decreases the concentration of Cu and Pb in wastewater. The removal of Cu and Pb using INZ activated by HCl reached 61.56 % and 71 % respectively, while the removal of Cu and Pb using INZ activated by H2SO4 reached 32.86 % and 73.14 % respectively