Sapropel-based adsorbent formulation for fine purification of acid drain water

Sapropel is a natural material with high sorption properties relative to heavy metals, which makes the material a promising feedstock for manufacturing an adsorbent for acid drain water treatment. On the other hand, sapropel in the area of mining is often initially contaminated with heavy metals. Furthermore, sapropel is a fine material, which complicates its use in static and dynamic conditions. That is why sapropel requires granulation to be used effectively in water treatment. The aim of this study is to manufacture a strong and granulated adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals from waste water using sapropel affected adversely by the mining and processing works, and to evaluate efficiency of the manufactured adsorbent. Within the framework of the research, the formulation of the granulated adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals from waste water was developed on the basis of sapropel and using sodium silicate as a binder. The optimal ratio of the binder and sapropel mass fractions in the composition for the granulation was 3:5. The optimal burn-in temperature of the adsorbent grains was 400 °C. The analysis of samples of model solutions using the method of inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectroscopy finds out that efficiency of removal of cadmium, copper, iron and zinc from waste water using the manufactured granular adsorbent totals 90%. 

Yakovlev N. M., Smirnov Yu. D., Matveeva V. A. Sapropel-based adsorbent formulation for fine purification of acid drain water. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(3):32-48.[In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_3_0_32.

The study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation under State Contract No. FSRW-2024-0005. 

N.M. Yakovlev¹, Master's Student, e-mail: s232309@stud.spmi.ru,
Yu.D. Smirnov¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: Smirnov_YuD@pers.spmi.ru,
V.A. Matveeva¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Director of Administrative Apparatus of the Scientific Center «Assessment of Technogenic Transformation of Ecosystems», e-mail: Matveeva_VA2@pers.spmi.ru,
¹ Empress Catherine II Saint-Petersburg Mining University, 199106, Saint-Petersburg, Russia. 

N.M. Yakovlev, e-mail: s232309@stud.spmi.ru.

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