Application of industrial waste in the development of composite heavy metal sorbents to ensure the environmental sustainability of soil systems

The intensive development of the mining and metallurgical industries is accompanied by the accumulation of multi-tonnage industrial wastes capable of causing soil degradation and large-scale environmental risks. Within the framework of the "zero waste" concept, the urgent problem of transforming industrial wastes into a useful resource for the selective immobilization of toxic heavy metals is considered. The objects of the study are two types of industrial raw materials: red mud and water treatment sludge from filtration stations. The aim of the work is to analyze the sorption potential of industrial wastes in ensuring the control of heavy metal migration, including the study of kinetics, mechanisms, and thermodynamic parameters of adsorption. A complex of physicochemical research methods was used in the work: X-ray fluorescence analysis, X-ray diffractometry, atomic emission spectrometry, and the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method for determining the specific surface area. The synergetic effect of combining industrial wastes with natural peat in the composition of composite heavy metal sorbents was experimentally confirmed. This approach to the utilization of industrial raw materials complies with the principles of "green" technologies and is capable of ensuring effective remediation of disturbed lands. It was found that the recovery of copper, lead, zinc, nickel, and arsenic ions from model solutions by experimental composite sorbents ranges from 75 to 100%. A comprehensive thermodynamic and kinetic analysis showed that adsorption occurs in a mixed diffusion mode with a predominance of chemisorption and ion-exchange precipitation. The limiting stage of the process is both external mass transfer and internal diffusion in the sorbent pores. Based on the linear Langmuir model, the maximum adsorption capacities and equilibrium constants were determined. 

Apakashev R. A., Malyshev A. N., Lebzin M. S., Kurmacheva V. S. Application of industrial waste in the development of composite heavy metal sorbents to ensure the environmental sustainability of soil systems. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(11):78-94. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_11_0_78.

The study was funded by the Russian Science Foundation, grant 
No. 26-24-20058, https://rscf.ru/project/26-24-20058/, and by the financial support of the Go-
vernment of the Sverdlovsk Region.

R.A. Apakashev¹, Dr. Sci. (Chem.), Professor, Professor, e-mail: Apakashev.R@m.ursmu.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9006-3667,
A.N. Malyshev¹, Research Engineer, e-mail: malyshev.k1b@gmail.com, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-3104-1687,
M.S. Lebzin¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Senior Researcher, e-mail: az_ma@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5959-135X,
V.S. Kurmacheva¹, Master's Student, e-mail: verakurmacheva55@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0005-5925-021X,
¹ Ural State Mining University, 620144, Ekaterinburg, Russia.

R.A. Apakashev, e-mail: Apakashev.R@m.ursmu.ru.

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