Removal of Boron and Manganese Ions from Wet-Flue Gas Desulfurization Wastewater by Hybrid Chitosan-Zirconium Sorbent

• Main Author: Joanna Kluczka
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-03-01
• Series: Polymers
• Subjects: boron adsorption; manganese ion adsorption; adsorption isotherms; column studies; desorption; biopolymer
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/12/3/635

Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater, after the alkaline precipitation and coagulation processes, often requires additional treatment in order to reduce the concentrations of boron and heavy metals below the required limits. In this study, we present an innovative and environmentally friendly method for boron and manganese removal that is based on a hybrid chitosan-zirconium hydrogel sorbent. The results from the batch adsorption experiment indicated that the uptake capacity for boron and manganese was equal to 1.61 mg/g and 0.75 mg/g, respectively, while the column study indicated that the total capacity of boron and manganese was equal to 1.89 mg/g and 0.102 mg/g, respectively. The very good applicability of the Langmuir isotherm at 25 °C suggested the monolayer coverage of the boron species onto the hybrid chitosan-zirconium hydrogel with a maximum adsorptive capacity of 2 mg/g. The amounts of boron and manganese in purified water could be decreased to less than 1 mg/dm³ and 0.05 mg/dm³, respectively, starting from the initial concentration of boron equal to 24.7 mg/dm³ and manganese equal to 3.0 mg/dm³ in FGD wastewater. Selective desorption of boron from the loaded bed was favorable when a NaOH solution was used, while manganese was preferentially eluted with a HCl solution. It is important to note that such an innovative method was investigated for the first time by testing borax recovery from wastewater in terms of an eco-technological perspective.