Ammonium ion adsorption by laboratory-synthesized zeolite (linde type A; LTA) was investigated in batch kinetics experiments. Synthesized zeolite LTA was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and particle size analysis. Water samples were taken from the Nyam and Tano rivers in Ghana, and 0.8 g of zeolite was added to 100 ml portions of each sample. Portions of the samples were withdrawn every 30 min for 150 min and the concentration of ammonia in each sample was determined. The removal efficiency of zeolite LTA was evaluated by retrieving the zeolite from the water samples and adding to a fresh sample to repeat the process. Equilibrium data were fitted by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. Maximum adsorption capacities were 72.99 mg g−1 for samples from the River Nyam and 72.87 mg g−1 for samples from the River Tano. The equilibrium kinetic data were analysed using adsorption kinetic models: pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order kinetic models. Linear regression was used to estimate the adsorption and kinetic parameters. The results showed that the adsorption followed pseudo-second order kinetics and suggest that zeolite LTA is a good adsorbent for the removal of nitrogen ammonia from water.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
December 24 2013
Removal of ammonium ions by laboratory-synthesized zeolite linde type A adsorption from water samples affected by mining activities in Ghana
Bright Kwakye-Awuah;
1Department of Physics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University Post Office, Private Mail Bag, Kumasi, Ghana
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for other works by this author on:
Linus Kweku Labik;
Linus Kweku Labik
1Department of Physics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University Post Office, Private Mail Bag, Kumasi, Ghana
Search for other works by this author on:
Isaac Nkrumah;
Isaac Nkrumah
1Department of Physics, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University Post Office, Private Mail Bag, Kumasi, Ghana
Search for other works by this author on:
Craig Williams
Craig Williams
2School of Applied Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wulfruna Street, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, United Kingdom
Search for other works by this author on:
J Water Health (2014) 12 (1): 151–160.
Article history
Received:
May 09 2013
Accepted:
September 22 2013
Citation
Bright Kwakye-Awuah, Linus Kweku Labik, Isaac Nkrumah, Craig Williams; Removal of ammonium ions by laboratory-synthesized zeolite linde type A adsorption from water samples affected by mining activities in Ghana. J Water Health 1 March 2014; 12 (1): 151–160. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2013.093
Download citation file: