Wastewater Treatment by Improving the Local Clay Capacity with Chemical and Thermal Activation

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Babaami, Nourelhouda^{; *} | Zobeidi, Ammar | Zenkheri, Louiza | Boudjema, Souheyla^; | Ben Azia, Ghania | Benhania, Ahlem

Affiliations: Valorisation and Promotion of Saharan Resources Laboratory (VPRS), Chemistry Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Material Sciences, Kasdi Merbah University, Ouargla, Algeria | Laboratory of Water and Environmental Engineering in the Saharan Region, Algeria | Department of Drilling and Mechanics of Petroleum Works, Faculty of Hydrocarbons, Renewable Energies, Earth and Universe Sciences, Kasdi Merbah University, Ouargla, Algeria | Laboratory of Catalysis and Synthesis in Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Tlemcen, Tlemcen, Algeria

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding Author. [email protected]

Abstract: Worldwide, liquid effluents are generally discharged into the environment untreated, which, in turn, are affecting humans, animals and plants. Preserving our environment is a priority, especially with the emergence of epidemics in recent years. As a part of our investigation, we aim to treat the wastewater of the Ouargla region by enhancing the adsorption capacity of local clay collected from El-Oued (Elmghaier, south of Algeria) using thermo-chemical activation for the removal of organic pollutants. The clay used was (illite, kaolinite, and quartz 62.0%, 27.0% and 11.1%, respectively). The experiments proved the efficiency of enhancing the adsorption capacity of local clay by thermo-chemical activation in the treatment of urban wastewater to determine the efficiency by the following characteristics: chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, total suspended solids, and turbidity, respectively. Acid-activated clay with sulphuric acid achieved high efficiency on polluted water purification at the ideal concentration (0.75 N) and an adsorption rate of (80.16%, 90.74%, 93.33% and 90.74%), while the result decreased in the optimal concentration of acid activated clay HCl (0.134 N) and the adsorption rate was 73%, 60.92%, 94.31% and 65.57%. The thermal activation effect of the clay studied under optimal temperature conditions (400°C) shows that the adsorption ratio increased with higher temperatures (82%, 65%, 89.56% and 78.65%).

Keywords: Clay, chemical activation, thermal activation, wastewater, organic effluents

DOI: 10.3233/AJW230079

Journal: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 20, no. 6, pp. 53-59, 2023