CaltechTHESIS
  A Caltech Library Service

Adsorption of Pb(II) and Cu(II) on α-quartz from aqueous solutions: influence of pH, ionic strength, and complexing ligands

Citation

Vuceta, Jasenka (1976) Adsorption of Pb(II) and Cu(II) on α-quartz from aqueous solutions: influence of pH, ionic strength, and complexing ligands. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/71AV-TE55. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:04162014-093109979

Abstract

Adsorption of aqueous Pb(II) and Cu(II) on α-quartz was studied as a function of time, system surface area, and chemical speciation. Experimental systems contained sodium as a major cation, hydroxide, carbonate, and chloride as major anions, and covered the pH range 4 to 8. In some cases citrate and EDTA were added as representative organic complexing agents. The adsorption equilibria were reached quickly, regardless of the system surface area. The positions of the adsorption equilibria were found to be strongly dependent on pH, ionic strength and concentration of citrate and EDTA. The addition of these non-adsorbing ligands resulted in a competition between chelation and adsorption. The experimental work also included the examination of the adsorption behavior of the doubly charged major cations Ca(II) and Mg(II) as a function of pH.

The theoretical description of the experimental systems was obtained by means of chemical equilibrium-plus-adsorption computations using two adsorption models: one mainly electrostatic (the James-Healy Model), and the other mainly chemical (the Ion Exchange-Surface Complex Formation Model). Comparisons were made between these two models.

The main difficulty in the theoretical predictions of the adsorption behavior of Cu(II) was the lack of the reliable data for the second hydrolysis constant(*β_2) The choice of the constant was made on the basis of potentiometric titratlons of Cu^(2+)

The experimental data obtained and the resulting theoretical observations were applied in models of the chemical behavior of trace metals in fresh oxic waters, with emphasis on Pb(II) and Cu(II).

Item Type:Thesis (Dissertation (Ph.D.))
Subject Keywords:Environmental Engineering, Adsorption of Pb(II) and Cu(II), influence of pH, ionic strength, complexing ligands
Degree Grantor:California Institute of Technology
Division:Engineering and Applied Science
Major Option:Environmental Science and Engineering
Thesis Availability:Public (worldwide access)
Research Advisor(s):
  • Morgan, James J.
Thesis Committee:
  • Unknown, Unknown
Defense Date:29 January 1976
Record Number:CaltechTHESIS:04162014-093109979
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:04162014-093109979
DOI:10.7907/71AV-TE55
Default Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:8190
Collection:CaltechTHESIS
Deposited By: Dan Anguka
Deposited On:16 Apr 2014 17:11
Last Modified:09 Nov 2022 19:20

Thesis Files

[img]
Preview
PDF - Final Version
See Usage Policy.

38MB

Repository Staff Only: item control page