Preparation and characterization of a granular bentonite composite adsorbent and its application for Pb2+ adsorption

Bentonite is an important clay for preparation of adsorbents for potential treatment of industrial effluents. However, due to its natural occurrence as fine particles and swelling after moisture absorption, bentonite is difficult to be separated from the liquid for regeneration purpose, which limits its application in effluent treatment. In this study, two different bentonite-polypropylene composites were synthesized, i.e., with and without pore-enlarging treatment. They both showed strong ability to resist hydraulic agitation damage with a small breakage rate in water. The obtained results from SEM and XRD characterization revealed that the compounding of bentonite with the polypropylene was a physical process, and the structural characteristics of bentonite particles were maintained in the new products. The granular composite adsorbents were effective in removing Pb2+ in aqueous solution. The suggested pore-enlarging treatment was verified as a successful operation to increase greatly the adsorption rate of contaminants on the granular bentonite composite.