Fluoride Anion Binding by Natural Lignite (South Moravian Deposit of Vienna Basin)

Abstract

Natural lignite from South Moravia was tested for the sorption of fluoride anion in concentration range from 0.05 to 0.8 mmol/l. The lignite removes majority of fluorides and only about 13% of sorption is reversible upon leaching in pure water. Sorption data can be fitted by both Freundlich and Langmuir equations and both isotherms indicate presence of two principal sorption sites or steps. The sorption is fast, at least 90% of final sorbed amount is removed during the first ten minutes but kinetic data show a complex pattern with temporary increase of fluoride concentration. This is attributed to complexity of lignite-water interactions, lignite soaking and swelling in aqueous media. Foreign ions and pH showed only slight influence on the sorbed amount. Natural lignite can be considered as a potential low-cost defluoridation agent that is effective at various solution chemistries and also at low, but still over-limit, fluoride concentrations.

Natural lignite from South Moravia was tested for the sorption of fluoride anion in concentration range from 0.05 to 0.8 mmol/l. The lignite removes majority of fluorides and only about 13% of sorption is reversible upon leaching in pure water. Sorption data can be fitted by both Freundlich and Langmuir equations and both isotherms indicate presence of two principal sorption sites or steps. The sorption is fast, at least 90% of final sorbed amount is removed during the first ten minutes but kinetic data show a complex pattern with temporary increase of fluoride concentration. This is attributed to complexity of lignite-water interactions, lignite soaking and swelling in aqueous media. Foreign ions and pH showed only slight influence on the sorbed amount. Natural lignite can be considered as a potential low-cost defluoridation agent that is effective at various solution chemistries and also at low, but still over-limit, fluoride concentrations.