HEAVY METAL REMOVAL FROM WATER AND WASTEWATER USING RAW AND MODIFIED DIATOMITE TECHNICAL NOTE

heavy metal removal from water and wastewater was investigated by using raw and modified diatomite from Iranian mines. Modification of diatomite was done by impregnating the diatomite surface with 0.35 g of manganese oxide in one gram of diatomite. This modified diatomite was named Mn-Diatomite. The surface area measurements for Mn-diatomite showed a 2.2 fold increase, hence higher removal capacity for the heavy metals. The results of the removal showed an increase in adsorption capacity which was for Pb2+ about 40 mg/g, for Ni2+ about 34mg/g and for Cu2+ about 33mg/g. The filtration quality of diatomite was significantly enhanced with surface modification by manganese oxide