Zn(II) Adsorption Study onto Soils of Sarcheshmeh Copper Mine

Abstract

Soils around mining sites play a significant role in the transport and control of heavy metals in the environment. Therefore, understanding the adsorption properties of soil is essential in solving pollution problems. The objective of this paper was to study Zn(II) adsorption onto Sarcheshmeh copper mine soils. The adsorption isotherms of Zn(II) were studied. The Langmuir isotherm indicated an excellent fit for the experimental data in comparison with other isotherms. The capacity of Zn(II) adsorption was assessed by distribution coefficient for samples (SA and SE), such that, the SA sample showed high Kd values. Also, the amounts of Zn(II) adsorbed onto the soil decreased with increase in the initial concentration. The results of this study show that soils around mine can play an effective role in decreasing Zn(II) contamination.