The effect of water recovery on the ion flotation process efficiency

The present study deals with nickel ions removal from dilute aqueous solution by ion flotation with emphasizing the process efficiency. The effect of collector structure on ion flotation efficiency and water recovery was evaluated using anionic collectors of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and functionalized graphene oxide by 2,6-diaminopyridine (AFGO). The results showed that process efficiency enhanced with the increase in pH and reached to complete removal at pH of 9 and 9.7 for SDS and AFGO, respectively. The AFGO showed the multifunctional bindings for complex formations with nickel ions. A coordinate bond may be formed between nickel ions and AFGO at the pH of 9 which increased nickel ion removal. The water recovery as a critical parameter that contributes to removal efficiency was significantly affected by the collector structure. The AFGO doesn't have a frothing property and so decreases the water recovery during the process. The AFGO had significantly lower water recovery than SDS (almost threefold).