Highly effective Zn(II) and Pb(II) removal from aqueous solutions using Mg-Fe layered double hydroxides: Comprehensive adsorption modeling coupled with solid state analyses

Comprehensive mechanistic and modeling approaches are needed to effectively evaluate sorption of metal ions from aqueous solutions. However, such a complex study using layered double hydroxides has not yet been presented. Therefore, adsorption modeling was performed coupled with solid state analyses describing the mode of zinc and lead removal by magnesium-iron layered double hydroxides, and an excellent removal efficiency for both metal ions was observed. The maximal adsorbed concentration, as established by the Langmuir model, increased with the increasing magnesium/iron molar ratio. The pH-dependent sorption was fitted by the diffuse layer model, which described the formation of monodentate inner-sphere complexes, indicating strong binding between metal ions and the layered double hydroxides surface. Based on the solid state analyses of materials with high surface concentrations of zinc (1.44 mmol g−1) and lead (1.65 mmol g−1), respectively, the whole sorption mechanism was also influenced by other processes, i.e., precipitation (lead) and surface accumulation/precipitation/isomorphic substitution (zinc). Transmission electron microscopy-based elemental mapping showed a heterogeneous distribution of zinc and lead on the surface of particles. Low-temperature Mössbauer spectra were nearly identical for the studied materials before/after zinc and lead sorption indicating no structural changes in incorporated iron. Generally, we suggest that these layered double hydroxides are highly effective sorbents for metal ions from aqueous solutions. Furthermore, we propose a comprehensive mechanistic/modeling approach as a powerful tool for describing the mechanism of metal ions binding on layered double hydroxides in contaminated waters.