Liljana Markovska’s research while affiliated with Saints Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje and other places

Adsorption is considered as one of the most effective and cost efficient methods in water effluents purification. Frequently used adsorbent for heavy metals removal is activated carbon. The adsorption of lead ions from wastewater model solutions on activated carbon has been studied by a batch adsorber. Experiments were performed at constant temperature, while the concentration of lead ions in the solutions has been varied. Using the MatLab software the parameters for the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms were determined. The experimental data obeys the Langmuir isotherm, and the maximum sorption capacity determined was 17.09 mg g-1. The impact of the quantity of activated carbon and the initial concentration of lead ion on adsorption kinetics has been studied. The kinetics models for the first, pseudo-first, second and pseudo-second-order reaction were fitted to the experimentally obtained data by MatLab software. Data obtained by the kinetics study of Pb2+ adsorption on activated carbon, might be useful in the selection of the most probable mechanism of the adsorption process. It has been shown that the pseudo-second-order model explains the experimental data the best.

The kinetics of zinc, cadmium, and lead ions removal by natural zeolite-clinoptilolite has been investigated using an agitated batch adsorber. Batch experiments at constant temperature have been performed. The influence of agitation speed, initial heavy metals concentration and particle size of the sorbent on the removal efficiency of heavy metals from liquid phase have been studied. A decrease in the initial heavy metals concentration in aqueous solutions prolongs the time needed for equilibrium. Two kinetics models according to the Vermeulen's approximation and the parabolic diffusion model have been tested with the experimental data for adsorption of heavy metals onto natural zeolite. For the systems examined, the fit of the proposed models with the experimental data was shown to be equally good using both models. The diffusion coefficients are calculated from kinetic models of heavy metal ions and they are of the order from 10(-5) to 10(-6) cm(2)/min. The diffusion coefficients depend on initial concentration for both models.

The adsorption of two substituted nitrophenols, namely 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) and 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP), from aqueous solutions onto perfil was studied using a fixed bed column. The theoretical solid diffusion control (SDC) model describing single solute adsorption in a fixed bed based on the Linear Driving Force (LDF) kinetic model was successfully applied to the investigated systems. The model parameters of solid diffusion coefficient, DS, axial dispersion coefficient, DL, and external mass transfer coefficient, kf, for the investigated systems were estimated by the means of a best fit approach. Some deviations were found between the predicted and the experimental data which reflect the fact that the assumptions of the model were not quite fulfilled for these experiments. It is necessary to adjust the values of the solid diffusion coefficient, the axial dispersion coefficient and the external mass transfer coefficient in order to obtain a satisfactory agreement between the simulated and the experimental breakthrough curves. A Biot number was used as an indicator for the intarparticle diffusion. The Biot number was found to decrease with the increase of bed depth, indicating that the film resistance increased or the intraparticle diffusion resistance decreased.

The aim of this work is to study the effectiveness of regional, low-cost natural clinoptilolitic zeolite tuff in heavy metal ions removal from aqueous solution, through comparative study with commercial granulated activated carbon. The equilibrium of adsorption of Cd2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+ on both adsorbents have been determined at 25, 35, and 45°C in batch mode. The granulated activated carbon has shown around three times higher adsorption capacity for Cd2+ and Zn2+ than natural zeolite, and almost the same adsorption capacity for Pb2+ as the natural zeolite. The metal ion selectivity series Pb2+ > Cd2+ > Zn2+, on a mass basis, has been obtained on both adsorbents. The Langmuir and Freundlich model have been used to describe the adsorption equilibrium. The thermodynamic parameters were calculated from the adsorption isotherm data obtained at different temperatures. The study of the influence of the acidity of the metal ion aqueous solution has shown an increase of metal ion uptake with increase of the pH. The sorption mechanism of Cd2+, Pb2+, and Zn2+ on natural zeolite changes from ion-exchange to ion-exchange and adsorption of metal-hydroxide with increase of the pH from 2 to 6 (and 7 for Zn2+). The preliminary cost calculation, based on adsorbents maximum adsorption capacity and their price, have revealed the potential of natural zeolite as an economic alternative to the granulated activated carbon in the treatment of heavy metal polluted wastewater.

Many toxic heavy metals have been discharged into the environment as industrial wastes, causing serious soil and water pollution. Zn(II),Cd(II), Pb(II) are especially common metals that tend to accumulate in organisms, causing numerous diseases and disorders. The adsorption of Pb(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) from single (non-competitive) aqueous systems onto granular activated carbon and natural zeolite has been studied as single equilibrium isotherms. The effectiveness of each adsorbent was measured in terms of its adsorption capacity towards individual constituents of the effluent. All the adsorption isotherms display a non-linear dependence on the equilibrium concentration. The equilibrium of a solution between liquid and solid phases is described by Langmuir, Freundlich, Langmuir- Freundlich and Redlich-Peterson model. The parameters in the adsorption isotherms were estimated from the experimental equilibrium data using non-linear regression software. From the Langmuir isotherms, maximum adsorption capacities of the NZ and GAC towards Pb(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) were determined.

The metal removal capability of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) and natural zeolite is evaluated in this study using zinc as a model adsorbate. The equilibrium and kinetic characteristics of zinc adsorption on GAC and natural zeolite were studied in batch stirred tank experiments. The adsorption data for both systems were fitted by Langmuir, Freundlich, Langmuir-Freundlich, and Redlich-Peterson models. The parameters in the adsorption isotherms were estimated from the experimental equilibrium data using MATLAB. Using these data the best isotherm can be selected. The effect of initial concentration on the transient behaviour of zinc removal by GAC and natural zeolite was investigated. In this work two surface reaction models, namely a second order reversible reaction model and a second order irreversible reaction model for describing Zn(II) removal by GAC and natural zeolite, were employed. Modelling studies using two different second order surface reaction models demonstrated that it is very difficult to come to a general conclusion about which model has better ability.

The adsorption of basic dyes from aqueous solution onto granular activated carbon and natural zeolite has been studied using an agitated batch adsorber. The influence of agitation, initial dye concentration and adsorbent mass has been studied. The parameters of Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms have been determined using the adsorption data. Homogeneous diffusion model (solid diffusion) combined with external mass transfer resistance is proposed for the kinetic investigation. The dependence of solid diffusion coefficient on initial concentration and mass adsorbent is represented by the simple empirical equations.

The adsorption of basic dyes from aqueous solutions onto granular activated carbon and natural zeolite was studied using a fixed bed column. The design procedures for fixed bed adsorption columns were investigated for two basic dyes Maxilon Goldgelb GL EC 400 % (MG-400) and Maxilon Schwarz FBL-01 300 % (MS-300). A computer program based on the solid diffusion control model has been developed. The model parameters: solid diffusion coefficient, DS, axial dispersion coefficient, DL and external mass transfer coefficient, kf for all the investigated systems were estimated by means of a best fit approach.