EFFECT OF Cu-PUROLITE A400 RESIN ON ADSORPTION OF NITRATE AND NITRITE IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT

Abstract

The exceedance of nitrate and nitrite concentrations over the water standard quality has caused potential human health dangers such as blue baby syndrome and the growth of aquatic plants (eutrophication). In this work, a Purolite A400 anion exchange resin impregnated by Cu (Purolite A400-Cu) is used to remove nitrate and nitrite in wastewater. High saturation capacities of 0.76 mg N/g and 0.88 mg N/g-nitrate and 0.10 mg N/g and 0.11 mg N/g-nitrite are obtained from Purolite A400 and Purolite A400-Cu. Scanning electron microscope measurement shows that the surface of Purolite A400-Cu is rough due to other deposited materials that originate from Cu deposition. Energy dispersive spectroscopy measurement indicates that the increase in adsorption is due to Cu impregnation with the addition of a positive surface charge on the resin by Cu. The adsorption capacities of nitrate and nitrite decrease with increases in sulphate, phosphate and chloride concentrations. Data are obtained from a fixedbed column using the Thomas equation model. The breakthrough curve shows the Ct/C0 ratio values in Purolite A400 and Purolite A400-Cu. Large Ct/C0 values of 0.55 and 0.52-nitrate and 0.48 and 0.03-nitrite are obtained from Purolite A400 and Purolite A400-Cu.