Modelling of palladium(II) adsorption onto amine-functionalised zeolite using a generalised surface complexation approach.

The many uses of palladium in medicine, catalysts and other industries make it a very important precious element. Many industries using palladium discharge process wastewaters that may release elevated concentrations of palladium into the environment. This study focused on the recovery of palladium from aqueous solutions by zeolite functionalised with spent brewer's yeast. Batch experimental results were used to calibrate a generalised surface complexation model based on coupling parameter estimation (PEST) to the PHREEQC geochemical modelling code. PHREEQC is an acronym which stands for pH, redox, equilibrium and C programming language. Calibration was based on the determination of sorption constants for the reactions of palladium with the adsorbent. The generalised amine surface groups (derived from yeast), the moles of adsorption sites and surface area were specified. The recovery of palladium was assessed as a function of solution pH, adsorbent dosage and initial concentration of palladium in the presence of other cations and anions at different concentrations. The highest recovery of palladium (>97%) was observed at pH 2 and 10 g L-1 adsorbent dosage which, decreased with increasing solution pH. The amount of palladium removed increased in the presence of competing ions and anions. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the modelled and measured data, which indicated that PHREEQC modelling code coupled with PEST can accurately determine the recovery of palladium using amine-based adsorbents when all the required information is specified. This is very useful in instances where limited experimental data is available for non-conventional and novel surfaces to make accurate predictions of sorption processes involving them.

Mining wastewater treatment technologies and resource recovery techniques: A review.

Mining wastewater can have adverse effects on the ecosystem; thus, treatment before discharging into the environment is of utmost importance. This manuscript reports on the effect of mining wastewater on the environment. Moreover, the currently used, effective and commercialised mine wastewater treatment technologies such as SAVMIN®, SPARRO®, Biogenic sulphide, and DESALX® are reported in this study. These technologies integrate two or more separation processes, which have been proven to be effective for the high recovery of salts and water for reuse. Some of the technologies reported can significantly recover salts and >95% of water. Modern pilot-stage and laboratory-scale treatment systems used for the recovery and removal of metals are also reported herein. Since some treatment technologies can generate highly toxic sludge and other waste products, the management of the generated waste was also considered. Some studies have focused on the treatment of wastewater at the laboratory level using the adsorption process. Most adsorbents exhibit promising results; however, there is insufficient research on reusability, toxic sludge management, and the economic analysis of the systems. Moreover, the implementation of adsorption systems in wastewater is necessary. Furthermore, the integration of treatment systems to recover precious metals at low concentrations is desirable in addition to water reclamation to achieve circular mine water.

Advancements in sustainable platinum and palladium recovery: unveiling superior adsorption efficiency and selectivity with a novel silica-anchored acylthiourea adsorbent.

This study addresses the pressing issue of depleting natural resources of platinum group metals (PGMs), driven by their widespread use in modern applications and increasing demand for renewable energy technologies. With conventional sources dwindling, the search for economically viable recovery methods from alternative sources has become crucial. Our focus was on innovating efficient recovery strategies, leading to the development of two novel silica-anchored adsorbents: DTMSP-BT-SG, a highly efficient acylthiourea adsorbent, and BTMSPA-SG, a silica-anchored amine adsorbent. We conducted comprehensive experiments under PGM mining wastewater conditions, varying parameters such as adsorbent mass, pH, concentration, contact time, competing ions, and volume. DTMSP-BT-SG demonstrated exceptional performance, achieving maximum adsorption efficiencies of >98% for Pt and >99% for Pd at pH 2, 0.5 g L-1 dosage, and 5 mg L-1 concentration. In contrast, under the same conditions, BTMSPA-SG recovered <56% and <89% of Pt and Pd, respectively. The experimental data for both adsorbents were analysed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models for concentration and pseudo-first and second-order models for contact time. The Langmuir model best described the adsorption data, indicating homogenous monolayer adsorption of Pt and Pd. The kinetic models suggested a pseudo-second-order process, implying chemisorption. Furthermore, in the presence of competing ions and other PGMs, DTMSP-BT-SG exhibited significantly higher recovery rates for Pt and Pd compared to BTMSPA-SG. Overall, DTMSP-BT-SG emerged as a more selective and efficient adsorbent across varied parameters. Its exceptional adsorption efficiency, coupled with cost-effectiveness, positions it as a promising and competitive recovery agent for extracting PGMs from mining wastewaters.

Synthesis and application of cationised cellulose for removal of Cr(VI) from acid mine-drainage contaminated water.

Background: Acid mine drainage (AMD) leads to contamination of surface and ground water by high levels of toxic metals including chromium. In many cases, these waters are sources of drinking water for communities, and treatment is therefore required before consumption to prevent negative health effects. Methods: Cationised hemp cellulose was prepared by etherification with two quaternary ammonium salts: 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CHPTAC) and glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride (GTMAC) and examined for (i) the efficiency of Cr(VI) removal under acid mine-drainage (AMD) conditions, and (ii) antibacterial activity. Adsorbents were characterised by electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), CP-MAS 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, elemental composition and surface charge. Results: FTIR and solid state 13C NMR confirmed the introduction of quaternary ammonium moieties on cellulose. 13C NMR also showed that cationisation decreased the degree of crystallisation and lateral dimensions of cellulose fibrils. Nevertheless, 47 %  - 72 % of Cr(VI) ions were removed from solutions at pH 4, by 0.1 g of CHPTAC and GTMAC-cationised cellulose, respectively. Adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second order model and isotherms were best described by the Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich models. When GTMAC-modified cellulose was applied to AMD contaminated water (pH 2.7); however, Cr(VI) removal decreased to 22% likely due to competition from Al and Fe ions. Cationised materials displayed considerable antibacterial effects, reducing the viability of Escherichia coli by up to 45 % after just 3 hours of exposure. Conclusions: Together, these results suggest that cationised cellulose can be applied in the treatment of Cr(VI)-contaminated mine water particularly if pre-treatments to reduce Fe and Al concentrations are applied.

Removal of platinum (IV) from aqueous solutions with yeast-functionalised bentonite.

There is a need for cheap but, efficient methods for the removal of precious metals from wastewaters, which are normally lost during mineral processing. Moreover, the disposal of yeast waste from brewing has been a problem in many parts of the world. In this study, the removal of Pt(IV) from aqueous solutions using the readily available bentonite clay functionalised with spent yeast from brewing was investigated. The maximum adsorption capacity of Pt(IV) with 100 mg yeast-functionalised bentonite at pH 2 within 90 min was 255 µg g-1 (98.5% efficiency) but, decreased as pH increased. The adsorption capacity of Pt(IV) was insignificantly (p > 0.05) affected by the presence of competing ions (Fe(III), Ca(II), Mg(II), K(I), Co(II), Ni(II), Hf(IV), Zn(II) and other platinum group metals (PGMs)). Moreover, most of these metals were significantly adsorbed along with Pt(IV). The indicative cost-benefit analysis showed that 1 kg of the yeast-functionalised bentonite can remove ∼700 g Pt(IV) in which a profit of more than USD20000 can be made. The bentonite functionalised with spent yeast from brewing has a potential to recover lost PGMs in wastewater. Since, this is a cheap process, the mining and other industries can make much profit from such recoveries.