Synthesis and equilibrium studies of titanium vanadate and its use in the removal of some hazardous elements

Titanium vanadate was synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis (TGA and DTA), X-ray fluorescence, and IR spectroscopy. The empirical formula of titanium vanadate is Ti2V2O9·2.5H2O. Titanium vanadate was tested as sorbent for removing some harmful ions such as Cs, Co, Cu, and Cd. The distribution coefficients (K d) were determined. They decrease in the order Cs+ ≫ Cu2+ > Co2+ > Cd2+. The distribution coefficients increase with increasing pH and reaction temperature. The thermodynamic functions of sorption (ΔH 0, ΔS 0, ΔG 0) were calculated. Negative values of ΔG 0 and positive values of ΔH 0 show that the sorption is a spontaneous endothermic reaction.