Adsorption of Fe 3+ Ions from Aqueous Solution by Natural and Synthetic Apatites: Kinetic, Equilibrium and Thermodynamic Study

In this study, the adsorption kinetics, equilibrium and thermodynamics of Fe3+ ions on natural (NAP) and synthetic (HAP) apaties were examined. The adsorption efficiency of Fe3+ onto the NAP and HAP was increased with increasing temperature. The kinetics of adsorption of Fe3+ ions was discussed using three kinetic models, the pseudo-first-order, the pseudo-second-order and the intra-particle diffusion model. The experimental data fitted very well the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The initial sorption rate and the activation energy were also calculated. The activation energy of the sorption was calculated as 37.15 and 49.84 kJ·mol 1 for NAP and HAP, respectively. Experimental results were also analysed by the Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin–Redushkevich (D–R) isotherm equations at different temperatures. RL separation factor for Langmuir and the n value for Freundlich isotherm show that Fe3+ ions are favorably adsorbed by NAP and HAP. Various thermodynamic parameters such as enthalpy (ΔH), Gibbs free energy (ΔG) and entropy (ΔS) changes were computed and the results showed that the adsorption of Fe3+ ions onto NAP and HAP were spontaneous and endothermic in nature.