Caracterización e identificación de aluminosilicatos en la mina de la comunidad Sucre para su evaluación en la adsorción de plomo

Abstract

This study aims to characterize and identify the aluminosilicates present in the Sucre community in the province of Tungurahua for their evaluation in the adsorption of lead. A specific sample was taken, the material was treated to remove moisture, organic matter and carbonates, the sample was sieved using the granulometry and hydrometry method to obtain a particle size of less than 5μm. The sample was subsequently treated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence. the results by X-ray diffraction showed the presence in a higher percentage of; quartz (33.7%), illite (31.74%), and dolomite (19.69%), in addition to other components in small percentages; amorphous pozzolan, calcite, phlogopite, andesine, hematite, and hornblende. In the scanning electron microscopy, it was possible to observe laminar particles that corresponded to illite, while in the analysis by X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy together with the X-ray fluorescence they showed the predominance of silicon over aluminium in composition in addition to the presence of other elements such as iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium in lower concentrations and titanium, manganese, vanadium in concentrations <1%. After characterization of the sample, the adsorption capacity for the removal of lead in water was performed using 10 grams of sample, obtaining at an initial concentration of 12 mg / L a 99% removal, presenting a strong intermolecular attraction between the adsorbate molecules.