EFFECT OF MINERAL SYSTEMS ON MERCURY REMOVAL FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION PART II

Mineral systems were investigated to determine their effects on mercury removal. This study was in relation to influence of pH, particle concentration, residence time and ionic strength. Sorption isotherms indicated that sorption capacities of the different clay minerals, goethite and their mixtures were dependent on the particle size. However, sorption pattern appeared to be controlled by outer sphere complexation, inner sphere complexation and intra-particle diffusion. Mercury demonstrated both linear and non-linear sorption increase with as increasing pH was increased for all mineral systems. Mercury sorption decreased as particle concentration (Cp) or solid concentration was increased. This was, exhibited both linear and non-linear decrease over the range of particle size investigated. Decrease in mercury sorption as Cp was increased may be attributed to increase in particle size and aggregation of the mineral systems.