Experimental Study of Antimony Adsorption on Magnetite in Aqueous Solutions

This paper presents the results of an experimental test for non-radioactive antimony removal from aqueous solutions using magnetite (Fe₃O₄) powder. Antimony (Sb) solubility in water was tested in autoclave using primary heat transport conditions. Solution obtained from the autoclave was sent to Inductively Coupled Plasma Optic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) for quantitative analysis of Sb and a part of it was used for the adsorption tests. Furthermore, it was studied how pH influences antimony adsorption onto magnetite surface. After adsorption, solutions were filtered on Cellulose Mixed Ester membrane to remove magnetite powder and then the aqueous solutions were sent to ICP-OES to determine the Sb concentration. Forwards, magnetite powder from the filters were examined by optical microscopy. The experimental tests have shown that antimony adsorption on magnetite is decreasing at high pH of solution. (author).