Synthesis of mesoporous Cu/Mg/Fe layered double hydroxide and its adsorption performance for arsenate in aqueous solutions

The mesoporous Cu/Mg/Fe layered double hydroxide (Cu/Mg/Fe-LDH) with carbonate intercalation was synthesized and used for the removal of arsenate from aqueous solutions. The Cu/Mg/Fe-LDH was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffraction crystallography, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller. Effects of various physico-chemical parameters such as pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and initial arsenate concentration on the adsorption of arsenate onto Cu/Mg/Fe-LDH were investigated. Results showed that it was efficient for the removal of arsenate, and the removal efficiency of arsenate increased with the increment of the adsorbent dosage, while the arsenate adsorption capacity decreased with increase of initial pH from 3 to 11. The adsorption isotherms can be well described by the Langmuir model with R2 > 0.99. Its adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo second-order kinetic model. Coexisting ions such as HPO42−, CO32−, SO42− and NO3− could compete with arsenate for adsorption sites on the Cu/Mg/Fe-LDH. The adsorption of arsenate on the adsorbent can be mainly attributed to the ion exchange process. It was found that the synthesized Cu/Mg/Fe-LDH can reduce the arsenate concentration down to a final level of < 10 μg/L under the experimental conditions, and makes it a potential material for the decontamination of arsenate polluted water.