Journal of Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers ISSN:1738-3692(Print) 2093-7709(Online) 한국농공학회논문집

The present study was conducted to investigate phosphate removal from aqueous solution using industrial wastes, red mud (RM), acid treated red mud (ATRM) and converter furnace steel slag (CFSS). The chemical composition of adsorbents was analyzed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Batch experiments and elution experiments using water tank were performed to examine environmental factors that influences on phosphate removal. Kinetic sorption data of RM, ATRM, and CFSS were described well by the pseudo second-order kinetic sorption model, and equilibrium sorption data of all adsorbents obeyed Freundlich isotherm model. The adsorption capacities of adsorbents followed order: ATRM (7.06 mg/g)＞RM (4.34 mg/g)＞CFSS (1.88 mg/g). Increasing pH from 3 to 11, the amount of adsorbed phosphate on all RM, ATRM, and CFSS were decreased. The presence of sulfate and carbonate decreased the phosphate removal of RM and ATRM but did not influence on the performance of CFSS. The phosphate removal of RM, ATRM, and CFSS was greater in seawater than deionized water, resulting from the presence of cations in seawater. The water tank elution experiments showed that RM capping blocked the elution of phosphate effectively. It was concluded that the adsorbents can be successfully used for the removal of the phosphate from the aqueous solutions.