Copper adsorption by apatitic tricalcium phosphate

Pollution of wastewater by heavy metals is a public health problem that calls for appropriate solutions from environmental protection authorities. The use of apatitic supports for the liquid-solid extraction technique is an effective way of decontaminating effluents loaded with heavy metals.Our study concerns the extraction of Cu2+ ions from aqueous solutions diluted with an apatitic tricalcium phosphate (TCPa)-based support, at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The results obtained show that: - Extraction kinetics are relatively rapid.- Cu2+ ions are extracted with a good yield R>95%.- Cu2+ ion binding capacity equals 0.75 mol Cu/mol TCPa.- Total purification of a 6.35 ppm copper solution is achieved with a small amount of TCPa, m = 60mg.