Abstract: The paper reports and discusses the results of removal of hardness
by Bentonite minerals. Hybridised IXfibres that contain dispersed hydrated
ferric oxide (HFO) nano particles have also been reported for removal of
hardness. Locally available bentonite minerals generally consist of
montmorillonite. Besides useful adsorbent of ions in solution, bentonite is
known for ion exchange. Bentonite is mixed well with water sample and time is
allowed for ion exchange to take place. As a result calcium ion is exchanged.
This ion exchange process here has been recognized for softening of water or
benign removal of hardness. The particle size is of 0.3 m prepared in the
laboratory. The main constituents of bentonite minerals are alumina, silica,
iron oxide and oxides of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. The
bentonites have been found to be a natural exchanger. The cation exchange
capacity of bentonite minerals may be attributed to the lattice structure as
the clay minerals contain anions and cations in the exchangeable state. The
bentonite minerals of 0.3 m size has been studied with different doses up to a
certain interval of time and with fixed dose to different interval of time. The
experiments were done by simple titration with N/50 HCl using methyl orange as
an indicator.
Keywords: Bentonite minerals, ion exchange, hardness
