CLINOPTILOLITE AS A PERSPECTIVE LOW-COSTADSORBENT FOR REMOVAL OF ORGANIC MICROPOLLUTANTS FROM WASTEWATER

Abstract

Natural zeolite – clinoptilolite (CLI) from Serbian deposit Slanci (near the capital city Belgrade) was investigated as adsorbent for the adsorption of antibiotic ciprofloxacin (CIP) as a model organic micropollutant (OMP) present in wastewater. At 20 °C the adsorption capacity varies from 4.81 to 8.90 mg g-1 for the initial CIP solution concentration of 15 and 50 mg CIP dm–3, respectively. The adsorption isotherms at 10, 15 and 20 °C are best represented by the Langmuir model and the adsorption kinetics by the Lagergren's pseudosecond-order equation. The adsorption mechanism most probably involves an ion-exchange reaction occurred at the CLI surface and according to results of Weber-Morris model does not involve intra-particle diffusion.