CHROMIUM AND LEAD REMOVAL USING SYNTHESIZED NANOCRYSTALLINE ZEOLITE

Abstract

Zeolite Y nanocrystal was synthesized from a clear solution at temperature of 80-150⁰C with 6.38 of Si/Al molar ratio by using Aluminum isopropoxide (Al(OiPr)₃)  and Ludox LS as alumina and silica source, Tetrametylammonium Hidroxide (TMAOH) and Tetrametylammonium Bromide (TMABr) as first and second organic template, respectively. The products were characterised by X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to identify the structure and particle sizes. The image measurements of the particle size record that the average particle sizes of FAU-5, FAU-20 and FAU-35 are 116.46 nm, 169.33 nm and 178.12 nm, respectively. Furthermore, 0.5988 g and 0.6001 g of yields with average particle sizes of 116.46 nm and 43.76 nm can be obtained for FAU-5 (single organic template) and FAU-10 (two organic template, TMABr/TMAOH=0.15) samples, respectively. The smallest average particle size observed is 33.87 nm (FAU-15). The synthesised nanocrystalline zeolite Y was applied for Pb(II) and Cr(III) removal and the results show that the nano crystal samples have very good performance. On FAU-37 at 10 ppm, 30 ppm, 50 ppm and 80 ppm of initial concentration, the adsorption of Pb is 23.56 mg/g, 109.71 mg/g, 181.02 mg/g and 231.46 mg/g, respectively at 216 h and adsorption capacities of Cr are 23.18 mg/g, 84.94 mg/g, 109.75 mg/g and 147.37 mg/g.