REMOVAL OF INORGANIC POLLUTANTS FROM ACID SOLUTION

Manufacturing process, primarily mining activities, often result in the production of effluents containing high amounts of sulphate and heavy metals. These effluence are known as acid mine drainage (AND) and is produced when sulphide-bearing material is exposed to oxygen and water. AMD usually due to low pH (2-5) contains high concentrations of inorganic pollutants (such as sulphates and heavy metals), which impact surface and groundwater. Consequently AMD prior to being released into the environment must be treated to meet government standards for the amount of inorganic pollutants contained in the water. Low pH is limiting for many various treatment technologies, including sorption. The paper deals with the study of two different methods (sorption and precipitation connected with oxidation) for heavy metals and sulphates removal from model acidic solutions.