Investigation of Co(II) sorption on GMZ bentonite from aqueous solutions by batch experiments

In this study, a local bentonite from Gaomiaozi county (Inner Mongolia, China) was converted to Na-bentonite and was characterized by FTIR and XRD to determine its chemical constituents and micro-structure. The removal of cobalt from aqueous solutions by Na-bentonite was investigated as a function of contact time, pH, ionic strength, foreign ions and temperature by batch technique under ambient conditions. The results indicated that the sorption of Co(II) was strongly dependent on pH. At low pH, the sorption of Co(II) was dominated by outer-sphere surface complexation or ion exchange whereas inner-sphere surface complexation was the main sorption mechanism at high pH. The Langmuir, Freundlich, and D-R models were used to simulate the sorption isotherms of Co(II) at the temperatures of 293.15, 313.15 and 333.15 K, respectively. The thermodynamic parameters (a dagger GA degrees, a dagger SA degrees, a dagger HA degrees) of Co(II) sorption on GMZ bentonite calculated from the temperature-dependent sorption isotherms indicated that the sorption of Co(II) on GMZ bentonite was an exothermic and spontaneous process. The Na-bentonite is a suitable material for the preconcentration and solidification of Co(II) from aqueous solutions.