SORPTION OF HEAVY METALS ON LIGNITE IMPREGNATED WITH CHITOSAN

A combined sorbent was prepared by impregnation of lignite mined in the South Moravian Coalfield, Czech Republic, with chitosan. Sorption performance of the combined sorbent and the untreated lignite was tested for Co(II), Cu(II), and Cd(II) in equilibrium sorption experiments with respect to pH and metal concentration. The amount of metal retained by the sorbent was determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis in the short time irradiation mode with epithermal neutrons. For pH~5, sorption isotherms were determined and fitted using the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The results have been compared with those obtained previously for similar combined sorbent based on naturally oxidized coal mined in the Sokolov Basin, Czech Republic. It has been shown that the effect of chitosan on sorption efficiency of the chitosan-doped coal sorbents strongly depends on solution pH, and type of coal and metal.