Effect of pH and Calcium on the Adsorptive Removal of Cadmium and Copper by Iron Oxide–Coated Sand and Granular Ferric Hydroxide

Iron oxide-coated sand (IOCS) and granular ferric hydroxide (GFH) were used to study the effect of Ca2+ and pH on the adsorptive removal of Cu2+ and Cd2+ from groundwater using batch adsorption experiments and kinetic modeling. It was observed that Cu2+ and Cd2+ were not stable in synthetic waters. The extent of precipitation increased with increasing pH. Removal of Cu2+ and Cd2+ was achieved through both precipitation and adsorption, with IOCS showing higher adsorption efficiency. Increase of pH (from 6 to 8) resulted in a higher overall removal efficiency of both Cu2+ and Cd2+, with precipitation as predominant removal mechanisms at higher pH values, especially for Cu2+. An increase in Ca2+ concentration increased the precipitation of Cu2+ [as Cu2(OH)2CO3 and Cu3(OH)2(CO3)2] and Cd2+ [as Cd(OH)2 and CdCO3]. In addition, Ca2+ competes with Cu2+ and Cd2+ for surface adsorption sites on IOCS and GFH, and reduces their adsorption capacity. The kinetic modeling revealed that the adsorption of Cd2+ onto IOCS is a complex process, with limited contribution of chemisorption that increases in the presence of Ca2+. © 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.