Title modification from,

“EFFECT OF DYNAMIC LOADING ON PHOSPHATE

ADSORPTION FROM WASTEWATER BY CLAY MINERALS”

To,
“EFFECT OF DYNAMIC LOADING ON NUTRIENTS

ADSORPTION FROM WASTEWATER BY CLAY MINERALS”

1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT

There has been overflow problems with clay minerals on top of adsorption bed during the
adsorption process, leading to operational problems, hence, unreliable and inconsistent
efficiency of nutrients adsorption.
Taking into account that no study has been done in understanding the effects of dynamic
loading on nutrients adsorption from wastewater by clay minerals, and that nutrients can
trigger eutrophication and deplete DO in water bodies, the research is seeking for
optimum dynamic loading that substantially reduce nutrients concentration.

1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH

1.4.1 Overall Objective

To determine the efficiency of clay minerals in adsorption of nutrients at various dynamic
loading conditions.

1.4.2 Specific Objectives

 To determine the optimum hydraulic loading for nutrients adsorption bed by clay
minerals.
 To determine the confounding effect of change of concentrations of one of the
parameters in respect to the other in adsorption efficiency.
 To determine the breakthrough time of clay minerals in adsorption.
1.5 METHODOLOGY

The overflow problem can be solved by two different approaches. The first is by
variation of the flow rates to find the optimum hydraulic loading in a Bench Scale
Column Experiment and the second is by a Batch Reactor.

1.5.1 BATCH REACTOR

This will determine the breakthrough time and the effect of variation of concentrations of
nitrate and phosphate in adsorption efficiency.

Determination of Breakthrough Time

Procedure

Take a fixed 50g of clay minerals into three 1000ml beakers filled with aqueous solution
of known concentration and with time record the remaining concentration and fill table
3.1.
Table 3.1 Determination of Breakthrough Time

Mass of CM Initial Co Conc. After 1 Conc. After 2 Conc. After 3 hr

(50g) (mg/l) hr hr
P N P N P N P N
B1
B2
B3

Determination of Confounding Effect of Change of Concentrations

Knowing the breakthrough time, the effect of change in concentration can be determined
through a batch reactor of fixed mass of clay minerals. Description is shown in table 3.2.

Table 3.2 Effect of Changes of Concentrations

Initial Co(mg/l) Ce (mg/l)

P N P N
15 20
10 85
Determination of Adsorption Isotherms

Procedure
1. Take three 1000ml clean and empty beaker and label them as B1, B2 and B3.
Why three beakers are used? Because the phosphate and nitrate reagents are
limited.
2. Add 500ml of aqueous solution (made of NO3- & PO4-) of desired concentration in
each beaker. Why 500ml? To leave space for allowing proper mixing.

3. Add 5, 20 and 50g of clay minerals in B1, B2, and B3 respectively.

4. Mix by either magnetic stirrer or jar tester for 10 minutes (theoretical contact
time) at about 100rpm
5. Allow the mixture to settle for about 10 minutes after centrifuging.
6. Filter the mixture using a 45μm filter paper to get a clear liquid.
7. Measure the equilibrium concentrations of filtrate (NO3- & PO4- ) using the
spectrophotometer
This will help in determination of adsorption isotherms.

1.5.2 BENCH SCALE COLUMN EXPERIMENT

Determination of Optimum Hydraulic Loading

Figure 3.1 Schematic diagram for experimental set up

Table 3.2 experimental set up and data collection

Initial
Co. Q P-Ce
(mg/l) (ml/s) (mg/l)

Y Q1 C1
Y Q2 C2
Y Q3 C3