Removal of some harmful metal ions from wet-process phosphoric acid using murexide-reinforced activated bentonite

Highly efficient elimination of UO22+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Ni2+, and Pb2+ from wet-process phosphoric acid (WPPA) was investigated as a batch system using murexide-reinforced activated bentonite (MRAB), which was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), and fourier tranform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques. The experimental adsorption capacities of UO22+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Ni2+, and Pb2+ were 155.0, 180.0, 190.0, 143.0, 115.0, and 170.0 mg/g at 5 M H3PO4, respectively. The obtained data indicated that the sorption technique used its functionality to remove six metal ions after six reuse/cycles, wherein the MRAB could be regenerated using HCl. The elimination of real impurities from WPPA was assessed through the proposed procedure under optimum conditions using MRAB. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.