Characterization of phosphate removal from aqueous solution by manganese oxyhydroxyde

In the present study, manganese oxyhydroxyde was prepared and used for phosphate adsorption from aqueous solution. Batch experiments were carried out at various experimental conditions. Retention mechanism was evaluated by ATR-FTIR analyses. The obtained results show that phosphate removal by the prepared manganese oxyhydroxyde is maximal at pH around 8.5. Adsorption kinetics is well described by Elovich model. Temkin model is more suitable for describing the experimental isotherm. Phosphate removal decreases in the presence of sulfate, chromate, cadmium and lead, and increases in the presence of citrate, copper and zinc. No effect is observed in the presence of tartrate and oxalate ions. Spectroscopic analyses reveal that phosphate is mainly adsorbed at the surface of the oxyhydroxyde as inner sphere complex.