Application of ionic liquids for the removal of heavy metals from wastewater and activated sludge

Author(s)
Maria Fürhacker, Tadele Measho Haile, Daniel Kogelnig, Anja Stojanovic, Bernhard Keppler
Abstract

This paper presents the results of adsorption studies on the removal of heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn) from standard solutions, real wastewater samples and activated sewage sludge using a new technique of liquid-liquid extraction using quaternary ammonium and phosphonium ionic liquids (ILs). Batch sorption experiments were conducted using the ILs [PR4][TS], [PR4][MTBA], [A336] [TS] and [A336][MTBA]. Removal of these heavy metals from standard solutions were not effective, however removal of heavy metals from the industrial effluents/wastewater treatment plants were satisfactory, indicating that the removal depends mainly on the composition of the wastewater and cannot be predicted with standard solutions. Removal of heavy metals from activated sludge proved to be more successful than conventional methods such as incineration, acid extraction, thermal treatment, etc. For the heavy metals Cu, Ni and Zn, >= 90% removal was achieved.

Organisation(s)
Department of Inorganic Chemistry
External organisation(s)
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences
Journal
Water Science and Technology
Volume
65
Pages
1765-1773
No. of pages
9
ISSN
0273-1223
DOI
https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2012.907
Publication date
2012
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
104003 Inorganic chemistry, 104023 Environmental chemistry
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/5c5f8d03-3ace-46d4-899c-6713ceb2bde7