Removal of Cadmium from Water Using Natural Phosphate as Adsorbent

Adsorption process is being widely used by various researchers as an effective process of advanced waste water treatment of industrial effluent containing metals. The present work involves an investigation of the use of natural phosphate (NP), which being locally abundant and cheap material in Morocco, as adsorbent for removal of cadmium from aqueous solutions. The kinetic of Cadmium on natural phosphate adsorption efficiency and adsorption process were evaluated and analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich model of adsorption equilibrium. The effects of various experimental parameters, such as initial cadmium concentration, contact time were investigated. The natural phosphate had the monolayer adsorption capacity to 26 mg/g at pH of 5.0. Adsorption measurements show that the process is very fast and physical in nature. The extent of the cadmium removal increase with decrease in the initial concentration. These results show that natural phosphate is a good adsorbent for cadmium from aqueous solutions and could be used as a purifier for water and wastewater.