Nitrate removal from water by nano-alumina: Characterization and sorption studies

The present study was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of nano-alumina for nitrate removal from aqueous solutions. The nature and morphology of sorbent was characterized by XRD, FTIR, BET and SEM analysis. Batch adsorption studies were performed as a function of contact time, initial nitrate concentration, temperature, pH and influence of other interfering anions. Nitrate sorption kinetics was well fitted by pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum sorption capacity of nano-alumina for nitrate removal was found to be ca. 4.0 mg g−1 at 25 ± 2 °C. Maximum nitrate removal occurred at equilibrium pH ca. 4.4. The nitrate sorption has been well explained using Langmuir isotherm model. Results from this study demonstrated the potential utility of nano-alumina for nitrate removal from water.