Batch study of arsenate (V) adsorption using Akadama mud: Effect of water mineralization

Akadama mud, consisting mainly of different forms of iron and aluminum oxide minerals, was used for arsenate (V) adsorption from aqueous solutions. The adsorption process fitted the first-order kinetic equation and the Langmuir monolayer model well. The adsorption capacity, estimated by the Langmuir isotherm model, was 5.30 mg/g at 20 ± 0.5 °C. The effects of the solution properties (initial concentration of As (V), pH, temperature, and mineralization degree) on As (V) removal were investigated. Various mineralization degrees in underground water were simulated by adjusting the ionic strength of the solution or adding coexisting ions to the contaminated solution. It was found that mineralization of the water significantly influenced the arsenic adsorption. The existence of multivalent metallic cations significantly enhanced the As (V) adsorption ability, whereas competing anions such as fluoride and phosphate greatly decreased the As (V) adsorption. This result suggests that Akadama mud is more suitable for arsenic adsorption in low-level phosphate and fluoride solutions. The loaded Akadama mud could be desorbed at polar pH conditions, especially in acidic conditions, and more than 65% As (V) sorption has been achieved at pH 1.