Application of Polymer-Natural Clay Composite in Water Treatment

Abstract

A number of water sources contain contaminants which are hazardous to health and environment. Several treatment technologies have been employed for the remediation of contaminated water sources, with adsorption as the favored method based on its effectiveness, ease of operation and efficiency. This study evaluates the performance of polymer-natural clay composites as robust materials for multi-contaminants removal from water. More specifically, a detailed analysis of polypyrrole-montmorillonite composite performance in hexavalent chromium removal is provided. A number of water quality parameters and process variables such as  flow rate and bed depth are considered. Results indicate that water quality parameters and flow dynamics have profound effect on performance. Indications are that polymer-natural clay composites are competitive materials for water quality improvement.