Enhanced removal of soluble Cr(VI) by using zero-valent iron composite supported by surfactant-modified zeolites

Zero-valent iron (ZVI) was immobilized onto surfactant-modified zeolites (SMZ) using calcium alginate. Scanning electron microscopy showed that ZVI powder was uniformly immobilized on the surface of the SMZ. The added ZVI powder resulted in enhanced dichromate removal efficiency and the heterogeneous surface of the composite. The adsorption of dichromate onto the ZVI–SMZ composites fitted well to a pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The maximum dichromate adsorption capacity of the composite was 2.49 mg/g at the temperature of 293 K. Higher removal efficiency was obtained at pH lower than 7. X-ray photoelectron spectrometry revealed that the composites combined the strong reductive quality of ZVI and superior adsorption of SMZ.