Degradation Products of Rhyolitic Rocks, Adsorption Applications, Isotherm Studies

ABSTRACT

Heavy metals and their toxicity are a major global concern. They are one of the major environmental problems causing serious problems for living beings. In this study, the adsorption properties of a clay sample located in nature are improved by treating with different materials, and then adsorption properties are examined. It is observed that clay sample can be used in many adsorption applications, including the adsorption of heavy metals such as copper. The clay mineral used in the study was obtained from a rhyolite type rock. Rhyolite rocks, one of the degradation products of volcanic rocks, are the volcanic counterparts of granite. In this study, rhyolite rock was crushed with suitable crushers and grinders, then sieved under 200 mesh with molecular sieve and clay minerals were obtained. The clay samples (K1,K2. K8) were synthesized by subjecting clay with acid and base. Adsorption properties of clay are due to wide surface area, surface functional groups and microporosity. Adsorption of methylene blue and iodine, adsorption from aqueous solutions of copper are done with clay samples and results were compared with samples of clay have not undergone any pre-treatment. In the study, the highest adsorption capacity was determined by applying the Freundlich isotherm. In the K6 sample treated with a base, the highest adsorption capacity was calculated as 26.98 Lg⁻¹. In contrast, the Langmuir isotherm results were calculated in the range of 10.56 to 11.86 Lg⁻¹. This indicates that the adsorption takes place on a heterogeneous surface. The structure and surface properties of clay were examined.

KEYWORDS:

• Adsorption
• characterization
• methylene blue
• rhyolitic rock

Acknowledgements

This work was supported financially by Inonu University Scientific Research Projects Unit, Project Number: 2014-31.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).