Effective removal of Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ pollutants from wastewater by dielectrophoresis-assisted adsorption

Highlights

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) process could enhance the removal the Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ with less absorbent.

The removal rates of both Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ increased with the increase of voltage.

The overall removal rate of Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ in the binary system is higher than that of Cd²⁺ or Pb²⁺ in the single system.

DEP could cause considerable changes of the bentonite particles in both surface morphology and microstructure.

Abstract

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) was combined with adsorption (ADS) to simultaneously and effectively remove Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ species from aqueous solution. To implement the process, bentonite particles of submicro-meter size were used to first adsorb the heavy metal ions. These particles were subsequently trapped and removed by DEP. The effects of the adsorbent dosage, DEP cell voltage and the capture pool numbers on the removal rate were investigated in batch processes, which allowed us to determine the optimal experimental conditions. The high removal efficiency, 97.3% and 99.9% for Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺, respectively, were achieved when the ions are coexisting in the system. The microstructure of bentonite particles before and after ADS/DEP was examined by scanning electron microscopy. Our results suggest that the dielectrophoresis-assisted adsorption method has a high capability to remove the heavy metals from wastewater.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Adsorption / Dielectrophoresis / Heavy metals / Cadmium / Lead / Wastewater

References

[1] Altaş L, Balkaya N, Cesur H (2017). Pb(II) removal from aqueous solution and industrial wastewater by raw and lime-conditioned phosphogypsum. International Journal of Environmental of Research, 11(2): 1–13

[2] Anirudhan T S, Radhakrishnan P G (2009). Kinetic and equilibrium modelling of Cadmium(II) ions sorption onto polymerized tamarind fruit shell. Desalination, 249(3): 1298–1307

[3] Anwar J, Shafique U, Waheed-uz-Zaman , Salman M, Dar A, Anwar S (2010). Removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) from water by adsorption on peels of banana. Bioresource Technology, 101(6): 1752–1755

[4] Batton J, Kadaksham A J, Nzihou A, Singh P, Aubry N (2007). Trapping heavy metals by using calcium hydroxyapatite and dielectrophoresis. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 139(3): 461–466

[5] Bedoui K, Bekri-Abbes I, Srasra E (2008). Removal of cadmium (II) from aqueous solution using pure smectite and Lewatite S 100: The effect of time and metal concentration. Desalination, 223(1): 269–273

[6] Bisceglia E, Cubizolles M, Trainito C I, Berthier J, Pudda C, Français O, Mallard F, Le Pioufle B (2015). A generic and label free method based on dielectrophoresis for the continuous separation of microorganism from whole blood samples. Sensors and Actuators. B, Chemical, 212: 335–343

[7] Copello G J, Diaz L E, Campo Dall’ Orto V (2012). Adsorption of Cd(II) and Pb(II) onto a one step-synthesized polyampholyte: Kinetics and equilibrium studies. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 217-218(3): 374–381

[8] Cui C, Chen H, Lan B, Zhang L, Ma R, Geng J, Li H, Hu J (2015). Controlled synthesis of TiO₂ using a combined sol gel and dielectrophoresis method. CrystEngComm, 17(20): 3763–3767

[9] Cui C, Chen H, Zuo T, Fu X, Chen L, Geng J, Li H, Xing X (2016). Controllable synthesis of TiO₂ nanoparticles employing substrate/dielectrophoresis/sol‐gel. Crystal Research and Technology, 51(1): 94–98

[10] Filatova E G (2016). Optimization of electrocoagulation technology of purifying wastewaters of ions of heavy metals. Journal of Water Chemistry and Technology, 38(3): 167–172

[11] Gao R, Zhu P, Guo G, Hu H, Zhu J, Fu Q (2016). Efficiency of several leaching reagents on removal of Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn from highly contaminated paddy soil. Environmental Science and Pollution Research International, 23(22): 23271–23280

[12] Goyer R A (1993). Lead toxicity: Current concerns. Environmental Health Perspectives, 100(4): 177–187

[13] Hu J, Chen H, Lan B, Geng J, Li H, Xing X (2015). A dielectrophoresis-assisted adsorption approach significantly facilitates the removal of cadmium species from wastewater. Environmental Science Water Research & Technology, 1(2), 199–203

[14] Kazi T G, Jalbani N, Kazi N, Jamali M K, Arain M B, Afridi H I, Kandhro A, Pirzado Z (2008). Evaluation of toxic metals in blood and urine samples of chronic renal failure patients, before and after dialysis. Renal Failure, 30(7): 737–745

[15] Kumar P S, Ramalingam S, Sathyaselvabala V, Kirupha S D, Murugesan A, Sivanesan S (2012). Removal of cadmium(II) from aqueous solution by agricultural waste cashew nut shell. Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering, 29(6): 756–768

[16] Lungu M, Neculae A, Lungu A (2015). Positive dielectrophoresis used for selective trapping of nanoparticles from flue gas in a gradient field electrodes device. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 17(12): 1–14

[17] Mahmoodulhassan M, Suthor V, Rafique E, Yasin M (2015). Removal of Cd, Cr, and Pb from aqueous solution by unmodified and modified agricultural wastes. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 187(2): 1–8

[18] Martinez-Duarte R (2012). Microfabrication technologies in dielectrophoresis applications—A review. Electrophoresis, 33(21): 3110–3132

[19] Maturana H A, Perič I M, Rivas B L, Pooley S A (2011). Interaction of heavy metal ions with an ion exchange resin obtained from a natural polyelectrolyte. Polymer Bulletin, 67(4): 669–676

[20] Mohammadi S Z, Karimi M A, Afzali D, Mansouri F (2010). Removal of Pb(II) from aqueous solutions using activated carbon from sea-buckthorn stones by chemical activation. Desalination, 262(1–3): 86–93

[21] Mouni L, Merabet D, Bouzaza A, Belkhiri L (2013). Adsorption of Pb(II) from aqueous solutions using activated carbon developed from apricot stone. Desalination, 276(1): 148–153

[22] Peng H, Ji X, Wei W, Bocharnikova E, Matichenkov V (2017). As and Cd sorption on selected Si-rich substances. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution, 228(8): 288

[23] Pohl H A (1978). Dielectrophoresis: The behavior of neutral matter in nonuniform electric fields. Cambridge: University of Cambridge

[24] Pronce-Lira B, Otazo-Sánchez E M, Reguera E, Acevedo-Sandoval O A, Prieto-García F, González-Ramírez C A (2017). Lead removal from aqueous solution by basaltic scoria: Adsorption equilibrium and kinetics. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 6(6): 1–16

[25] Rafatullah M, Sulaiman O, Hashim R, Ahmad A (2012). Removal of cadmium (II) from aqueous solutions by adsorption using meranti wood. Wood Science and Technology, 46(1–3): 221–241

[26] Rao R A K, Kashifuddin M (2014). Kinetics and isotherm studies of Cd(II) adsorption from aqueous solution utilizing seeds of bottlebrush plant (Callistemon chisholmii). Applied Water Science, 4(4): 371–383

[27] Tonini G A, Ruotolo L A M (2016). Heavy metal removal from simulated wastewater using electrochemical technology: Optimization of copper electrodeposition in a membraneless fluidized bed electrode. Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, 19(2): 1–13

[28] Wakizaka Y, Hakoda M, Shiragami N (2004). Effect of electrode geometry on dielectrophoretic separation of cells. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 20(1): 13–19

[29] Yuan L, Liu Y (2013). Removal of Pb(II) and Zn(II) from aqueous solution by ceramisite prepared by sintering bentonite, iron powder and activated carbon. Chemical Engineering Journal, 215(2): 432–439

[30] Zhu C, Dong X, Chen Z, Naidu R (2016). Adsorption of aqueous Pb(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) ions by amorphous tin(VI) hydrogen phosphate: An excellent inorganic adsorbent. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 13(5): 1257–1268

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment (No. 2017ZX07101-002), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2016SHXY06) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51609271).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2019 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature