REMOVAL OF HUMIC ACID BY CETYLPYRIDINIUM BROMIDE MODIFIED ZEOLITE FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION

Natural zeolite is a low cost material that can be found in nature. Zeolites can be modified and used for removal of humic acid (HA) from aqueous solutions. This study shows that natural zeolite being modified with cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB) as a cationic surfactant is a promising adsorbent for removal of Natural Organic Matters such as humic acid. Batch studies were set up to evaluate the adsorption capacity of surfactant modified zeolite (SMZ) and the effects of initial pH, contact time and also the initial dye concentrations on adsorption behavior. The initial pH of the HA solution strongly affected the efficiency of SMZ in HA removal from aqueous solutions. The effective initial pH values were in acidic ranges for adsorption of the HA on SMZ. Kinetic studies showed that the adsorption of HA on SMZ was a gradual process. Equilibrium condition reached after 300 min contact time. HA adsorption by the adsorbents followed pseudo-second order kinetics. Equilibrium isotherms for the adsorption of HA on SMZ were analyzed by the Freundlich and Langmuir equations. Results showed that the Langmuir isotherm best described the HA adsorption on adsorbent.