Abstract

ANDRADE, L.; COVELO, E.F.  and  VEGA, F.A.. Use of Special Clays for Wastewater Treatment. Inf. tecnol. [online]. 2005, vol.16, n.1, pp.3-10. ISSN 0718-0764.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-07642005000100002.

The effectiveness of the use of special clays for heavy metal removal from wastewater was evaluated. Various types of clays were tested on wastewater from three industrial effluents. The main components of the clays were sepiolite: montmorillonite (76%); magnesic bentonite: vermiculite (74,4%), aluminic bentonite: smectite (69.1 %) and palygorskite (80%). The wastewater was circulated through beds of each of the clays, maintaining a contact time of three hours. The heavy metal content in solution was analyzed before and after the water had circulated through the clay beds. The sepiolite and the magnesic bentonite were effective in reducing the heavy metal concentration of the industrial wastewater samples. The adsorption depended on pH and the metal content of the water, as well as its content of suspended solids

Keywords : wastewater treatment; heavy metals; clay adsorption; environment.