Utilization of zeolite industrial wastewater for removal of copper and zinc from copper-brass pipe industrial wastewater

Utilization of zeolite industrial wastewater as a sorbent and (or) precipitant to remove Cu and Zn from copper-brass pipe industrial wastewater was conducted. These wastewaters were sampled and values for pH, temperature, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total solids (TS), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), and heavy metals were determined. In addition, the sorption isotherms of Cu and Zn in copper-brass pipe industrial wastewater onto solids of zeolite industrial wastewater at various dilutions of copper-brass pipe industrial wastewater were explored. The relationship between Cu and Zn concentrations and their removal efficiencies under different conditions of wastewater pH, contact times, and ratios between copper-brass pipe industrial wastewater and zeolite industrial wastewater was examined. Zeolite industrial wastewater contained various carbonate compounds that contributed to high pH and TDS values, and low heavy metals contamination whereas copper-brass pipe industrial wastewater had a low pH value and was contaminated with heavy metals, especially Cu and Zn. Application of zeolite industrial wastewater significantly increased the pH of copper-brass pipe industrial wastewater and consequently removed Cu and Zn. The increase in pH of the wastewater mixture significantly enhanced the heavy metals removal. The Langmuir equation described sorption isotherms of Cu and Zn onto solids of zeolite industrial wastewater at neutral pH (6  –  7) while the Freundlich equation fitted well at pH > 12. The maximum Cu (97%  –  98%) and Zn (92%  –  96%) removal efficiencies occurred at the original pH  12·8 of zeolite industrial wastewater, at the ratio of copper-brass pipe industrial wastewater to zeolite industrial wastewater 3:1 (vol.:vol.) and at 30  min contact time.