Simultaneous adsorption of Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn by an iron-coated Australian zeolite in batch and fixed-bed column studies

• Iron-coated zeolite (ICZ) had higher adsorption than zeolite for Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn.
• Adsorption capacity for Cu, Cd, Zn, Cr decreased at high mixed metals concentration.
• Adsorption capacity in batch and column studies: Pb > Cu, Cd > Zn, Cr.
• 0.1 M HCl efficiently desorbed metals from ICZ with a small % Fe dissolution.
• Data fitted to Langmuir, pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, and Thomas models.

Excessive levels of heavy metals in water are an environmental hazard. An Australian zeolite with (ICZ) and without (Z) iron-coating, was used to remove five heavy metals from aqueous solutions using adsorption in batch and column experiments. The batch study showed that the Langmuir adsorption capacities of heavy metals on Z and ICZ at pH 6.5 and ionic strength 10−3 M NaNO3 were in the order Pb > Cu > Cd > Cr, Zn for single metal (5.0–11.2 mg/g) and for mixed metals solution (3.7–7.6 mg/g). The data for the kinetics of adsorption satisfactory fitted to both the pseudo-first and second order models with fits slightly better for the latter model. Data fitted to a diffusion model revealed that adsorption took place in two or more than two different stages: a fast external surface adsorption, and a gradual adsorption controlled by both film diffusion and intra-particle diffusion. The column adsorption data were fairly well described by Thomas model, with the order of Thomas adsorption capacity following a similar trend as in the batch study. In both batch and column experiments, the adsorption capacities were higher for ICZ than for Z and were generally lower in mixed metals system than in single metals system. Leaching of used ICZ columns with 0.1 M HCl, resulted in 64–93% of adsorbed metals being desorbed, and 10% of Fe being dissolved from the ICZ.